Axis Mundi

Good design must reflect the personality of the client. So when siblings purchased studios in Downtown by Philippe Starck, one of the first buildings to herald the revitalization of Manhattan’s Financial District, the aim was to create environments that were truly bespoke. The brother’s tastes jibed synchronously with the insouciant idea of France’s most popular prankster converting a building that once housed the buttoned-up offices of JP Morgan Chase. His collection of Takashi Murakami works, the gallery-like centerpiece of the main area, announces his boldness and flair up front, as do furnishings by Droog, Moooi and, of course Starck, as well as hide rugs and upholstery, and a predominantly red palette. His sister was after something soothing and discreet. So Axis Mundi responded with a neutrals and used glass to carve out a bedroom surrounded by drapes that transform it into a golden cocoon. Hide (albeit less flamboyantly applied) evokes a familial commonality, and built-in furniture and cabinetry optimize space restrictions inherent in studio apartments.