Digging Into The Creative Energy Of This Playful Firm

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Modern Visionaries: Snarkitecture

For the past decade, Brooklyn-based Snarkitecture has melded art and architecture to create experiences that invite the curious to explore, interact and play. The team–led by Alex Mustonen, Daniel Arsham and Benjamin Porto–has worked with brands from Dior to electro-funk duo Chromeo. The trio recently released a book in honor of the firm’s 10th year and presented its first museum exhibition, “Fun House,” July 4 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Cofounder and partner Mustonen reflects on their adventure.

What were the early years of Snarkitecture like?

Dan and I started in a studio in Greenpoint. We were young, emerging and doing things that felt very natural but seemed impossible. In 2014, Ben joined, and now we work on projects that are larger than anything we ever expected to be working on.

Describe your creative process.

We start in a conceptual place: What will it look like? How do you interact with the space? How do you interact with other people in the space? Then we move to hand sketching, digital sketching and architectural drafting. Lastly, we work with a fabricator or general contractor.

What will readers discover in your new book, Snarkitecture?

We devoted the back part of the book to the studio process. We’re inviting the reader into a behind-the-scenes look and stories behind the project.

Tell us about “Fun House.”

We wanted to create a show that would make the architecture engaging; something that creates memorable experiences. We’re inviting you to discover–in a very tactile, physical way–as you come through a full-scale house we’re building.

PHOTO COURTESY NOAH KALINA