NYC office for creative law firm jayaram becomes a world of snarkitecture

a design-minded office for an arts-focused firm

Jayaram, a law firm catering to the creative industries, has unveiled its new office in New York City, designed in collaboration with Snarkitecture, the New York-based design practice led by Alex Mustonen and Daniel Arsham. The workspace is a fresh and contemporary take on the traditional office environment, introducing an atmosphere of openness, collaboration, and creative exchange — and filled with Snarkitecture’s playful design objects and furniture.

The 3,800-square-foot space in the heart of the Flatiron District reflects the creative spirit of the firm. It serves as a workspace for Jayaram attorneys, a collaborative hub for partnering creators and artists-in-residence, and a venue for hosting public and private events. The project is about community — the large central room is designed to be reconfigured to adapt to the team’s changing needs, while maintaining small areas for solitary work and an enclosed office space for private meetings. The Jayaram x Snarkitecture project is a rejection of the soulless office space, and a welcome retreat from the city’s often cramped home offices.

images © Harlan Erskine

the gallery workspace for jayaram law

Stepping into the new Jayaram workspaces, visitors are immersed in a playful atmosphere that showcases artifacts reflecting Snarkitecture‘s endless body of work. Plaster casts of iconic Air Jordans stand alongside physical models and formal studies, as well as pairs of ombré MSCHF sneakers custom-made for the Jayaram team. Lining the shelves are publications that bridge the creative and legal divide, from ‘Sneaker Law,’ a legal guide for the sneaker industry, to Lewis Carroll’s classic, ‘The Hunting of the Snark,’ published in 1876.

While the tables and shelves throughout the office are filled with books and design objects, the interiors are unified by Snarkitecture’s familiar ‘decaying’ motif along the furniture, partitions, and custom-cut ceiling panels. For the Jayaram collaboration, Snarkitecture partnered with Finnish furniture company Made By Choice to create a new furniture collection — including dining and lounge chairs, a small round table, and a dining or conference table — which is displayed throughout the space.

Jayaram, a New York law firm catering to creative clients, unveils a new office designed by Snarkitecture

reconfigurable interiors by snarkitecture

The team at Snarkitecture divides the Jayaram office into distinct zones, each serving a specific purpose. The Record Room is an immersive entryway featuring a cavernous threshold which leads into the main room. Here, wood shelving displays archival items, publications, design objects, and ephemera from both Snarkitecture and Jayaram. Next, the central zone, the Commons, is occupied by a dynamic ceiling installation of acoustic panels and lounge seating surrounded by lush plantings. Movable tiered bookcases act as flexible partitions, creating a space ideal for gatherings both large and small. The Commons is flanked by more private conference rooms and offices enclosed by glass walls.

the collaborative space is an office, a hub for creative partners, and a venue for public events
designed for openness and flexibility, the space offers a welcome escape from the typical office environment
playful interiors showcase Snarkitecture’s work alongside legal and creative publications
distinct zones include The Record Room with archival items and The Commons for gatherings

project info:

project title: Jayaram x Snarkitecture

architecture: Snarkitecture | @snarkitecture

client: Jayaram Law | @jayaram_law

completion: May 2024

photography: © Harlan Erskine | @harlanerskine