About

Based in New York and with a studio in Shanghai, AKAIA Architecture is a
dynamic architectural design firm serving a wide range of clients worldwide.

The AKAIA team, under its AKAIA brand and earlier under the Archilier Architecture brand, has been helping clients realize their vision for hotels & resorts, residential & retail projects, as well as high rise mixed-use developments. Wherever the projects are located, the team’s design respects the distinctive cultural, social, and architectural traditions of the communities the project is in while reflecting the clients’ unique vision.

Being present in both New York City and Shanghai, the AKAIA team can be highly responsive to its clients around the clock and benefits from the cross-fertilization of ideas across cultures.
AKAIA believes design is the unique product of its context, program, client, and audience - a responsive design should not have a preset style or formula. Wherever the project is, the team strives to achieve an authentic and contemporary interpretation of local cultures in design.
Place-making informs all of AKAIA’s design, from the scale of a park or plaza to the scale of a room. For the design team, it’s all about creating wonderful places for people to inhabit or experience.
In addition, AKAIA believes in being good global citizens and always look to design sustainable solutions for clients, shaping each project with a sensitivity to issues of climate, resilience, and sustainability.

Place-making informs all of AKAIA’s design, from the scale of a park or plaza to the scale of a room. For the design team, it’s all about creating wonderful places for people to inhabit or experience.