-We believe in the transformative potential of beauty, be it through architecture, art, design or fashion.
-We build museum quality projects ranging in size from 250,000 SF commercial spaces to 250 SF refugee housing projects.
-We fulfill the true potential of a space by enhancing and inspiring our client’s living experiences.
Azin Valy
Azin Valy, former partner and co-founder of the award-winning I-Beam Design, as well as the founder of the award-winning fashion brand, Cityzen by Azin, has now launched Cityzen Designs, a new multi-disciplinary design firm.
Under Azin's partnership at I-Beam, her firm was shortlisted by the American Architecture Prize for Best Interior Design Firm 2017 and was included amongst the Top Architecture firms by New York Magazine for years. Her work has been exhibited at the Milan Triennale, the Venice Biennale, AIANY Center for Architecture, and Prince Charles’ Royal Gardens.
As a graduate of The Cooper Union School of Architecture on full scholarship, her approach to design is not only multi-faceted but also is firmly rooted in the belief of giving back by breathing new life into spaces and transforming lives be it through her architecture or her fashion.
TESTIMONIALS
“Everyone who walks in, including the most important people — Tracy, our kids, and me — all love what we have done. You get all the credit. We are definitely happy with the product and working with you to get the outcome we wanted.”
M.F.
“Indeed, the design of the buildings were amazing, I am still in awe every morning once I turn into the driveway and see them. “
C.D.
"Just a shout out to you both, to let you know I am living in my Gracie Terrace apartment for one year, as of yesterday. And each day, I love it a little more. Of course I continue to add, change and move things around. But my reason for contacting you both, now, is to thank you, once more, for the magnificent apartment you created with this total renovation. This wasn't an accident, that it turned out so beautiful. It was because of your skills, your ideas and your unique and constant creativity. So, I want to thank you, one more time and tell you that you not only gave me a beautiful home, but gave me a new and beautiful life. I have truly been born again! Wanted you to know..."
L.L
"Fantastic experience from start to finish. I-Beam's thoughtful insight into every phase of the Renovation was inspiring. The finished project was better than imagined and came in on time and on budget. I would say I-Beam over-delivered on every aspect of the project."
G.L.
“The renovation project became more involved and lengthy than what we envisioned at the beginning, a situation that could have been potentially very upsetting and a cause of friction, but Azin and her partner Suzan, with their diligent efforts found a way to make it work. We were continuously impressed with their new ideas as well as the care and attention they gave to details. We consider ourselves perfectionists but it was a delight to see that at times we were ready to compromise, but they were not. The final result was well beyond our expectations; an apartment published in NYT that we cherish every day since, and even today gets the admiration of new visitors. Over the years we have recommended I-Beam to friends looking for an architect and in all cases we have received repeated and enthusiastic thanks for our recommendation. Also I had the chance to interact with other architects in various real estate projects and I still would rate I-Beam’s creativity, work ethic and determination above everybody I have met.
Because of my interest in architecture and design I have followed closely I-Beam’s work and their involvement in different areas. Whether it is architecture, furniture design, refugee housing, or environment-sensitive solutions you can count on I-Beam to surprise you with their originality, their fresh "out of the box" ideas and their tireless persistence in coming out with solutions to each and every obstacle.
What I have come to appreciate in I-Beam’s work is their sensitivity to social issues, their professionalism and creativity as well as their holistic approach to every project.”
T.P.
“In case we have not already made it clear, you should know that we have been extremely happy to work with you and I-Beam on our project. You have designed a little jewel that is far beyond what we could have imagined. We and everyone else who sees the place absolutely love it. Also, your project management skills have been a great comfort to us and we have been very pleased to leave the management of the whole process in your hands so that we did not need to travel from Europe more than on a few occasions to make decisions. Thank you so much!
It has been a great extra benefit that we got two new friends!”
S.R.
“Based on a warm recommendation from an established New York architect, my wife and I hired I-Beam Design in 2009 to renovate our 1500 square foot New York City property. We were interested in keeping the space as open and raw as possible which lead to the transformation of the cramped two-bedroom/two bathroom apartment into an open and flexible loft. Inspired by my wife’s art and my eye for minimalism, they embarked on a collaborative and most professional journey with us to translate our desires into a three dimensional habitable space that reflects our personalities and ideals and which respects the style of the neighborhood. Having much experience on similar projects in Scandinavia we were most impressed by their understanding of our desires, their creative sense, their aesthetic skills and their ability to challenge us in a most pleasing atmosphere enabling us to create a home that in its design, atmosphere and functionality is far beyond our expectations”
C.M.
Copenhagen, August 9, 2013
“As my architects, I-Beam was extremely good at listening to what I wanted to get out of my living space and offering me an interesting range of creative suggestions. They are great collaborators and pay careful attention to detail. They created a peaceful living space for me with many special details that I appreciate every day. They made me exactly what I wanted.”
S.R.
“Though the renovation was completed 11 years ago, our home still looks both modern and recently renovated. The end product far surpassed my expectations (which were very high to begin with). I-Beam both listened to what we wanted and beautifully executed our ideas, always coming up with ingenious solutions for every roadblock during the process.
Those who have worked with I-Beam can firmly testify to their creativity, work ethic, and integrity. More than anything, what truly makes them special is the way in which they firmly stand their ground for what they believe in to be right, whether in a design concept or a moral/ethical issue. In short, we have been very fortunate to have I-Beam not only as our architects but also as our friends in our lives.”
N.A