--- title: "James Wagman Architect, LLC — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/james-wagman-architect-llc-pfvwus-pf~469891433 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~469891433.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "James Wagman Architect, LLC" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/7b83ea610ec375ba_0542-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "277 Broadway Suite 1201, New York, New York 10007, United States" latitude: 40.7139 longitude: -74.007 phone: "(212) 337-9649" website: http://www.jameswagman.com rating: 4.5 review_count: 11 best_of_houzz_awards: 5 followers: 454 last_updated: 2026-08-31 --- # James Wagman Architect, LLC Original Houzz profile: [James Wagman Architect, LLC](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/james-wagman-architect-llc-pfvwus-pf~469891433) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** New York, NY - **Serves:** New York City, Brooklyn, Manhattan, New York, Hudson - **Houzz rating:** 4.5 out of 5 (11 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 5 awards (2014–2019), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 25,000 Ideabook Saves James Wagman Architect, founded in 1999, is an award-winning New York City architecture firm with a reputation for high-performance, sustainable, and contextually-sensitive designs. We work closely with our clients to develop an understanding of their goals and the function of the space, before translating their ideas into transformative environments that reflect their unique vision. We keep them educated and informed throughout the design and implementation process, taking our cues from them and interpreting their wants and needs in a way that is both functional and modern. We also look at how a space performs both as a machine and as an energy user. This understanding guides us in creating sustainable, pragmatic, innovative, and comprehensive solutions for a variety of design challenges. JWA is an advocate of Passive House design and practices as we consider it a cost effective way to be energy efficient. Our firm is currently working on a range of Passive House and Green Building projects as well as numerous apartment, townhouse, and office renovations and restorations in New York City. In addition to notable residential and commercial work, we have completed a number of institutional projects, including the Horace Mann School in Riverdale, NY, The Blue School in New York City and ongoing work at The Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights. These projects are done in-house by our staff under our institutional division, Hudson Studio Architects. ### Services Provided - Architectural Design - Building Design - Home Remodeling - Custom Homes - New Home Construction - Energy-Efficient Homes - Green Building - Historic Building Conservation - Architectural Services ### Areas Served - New York City - Brooklyn - Manhattan - New York - Hudson ### Typical Job Cost $500,000 - 10,000,000 ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | James Wagman Architect, LLC | | Address | 277 Broadway Suite 1201, New York, New York 10007, United States | | Phone | (212) 337-9649 | | Website | http://www.jameswagman.com | | License Number | 027019 NY, 003.0093595 VT | | Followers on Houzz | 454 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/jameswagmanarch - X (Twitter) — https://twitter.com/jameswagmanarch - LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/company/james-wagman-architect-llc - Blog — http://jameswagman.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [James Wagman Architect, LLC](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/james-wagman-architect-llc-pfvwus-pf~469891433) - **Website:** http://www.jameswagman.com - **Phone:** (212) 337-9649 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Member of The American Institute of Architects (AIA), LEED Accredited through the U.S. Green Building Council, Licensed through NCARB in New York State and Vermont. Member of New York Passive House. - **Best of Houzz:** 5 awards (2014–2019), for Design, Service. **Affiliations** - [The American Institute of Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/the-american-institute-of-architects-pfvwus-pf~1350720471) - [NCARB](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/ncarb-pfvwus-pf~1477640315) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5 — 11 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 10.0 - Communication: 10.0 - Value: 10.0 ### All 11 reviews **★ — celineamo, Dec. 2021** > Would not recommend. Our project went completely over budget and made problems worse which cost more money. He did not know what he was doing at all. **★★★★★ — laurensalbert, Aug. 2016** > We hired James to renovate our Upper East Side 5 bedroom coop. The results are magnificent. It's hard to imagine what a wreck it was before he began. But he transformed it into the most gorgeous apartment we've ever seen. We can't recommend him highly enough. Lauren and Joe **Comment from James Wagman Architect, LLC:** > Thank you for the kind words, Lauren and Joe! It was a pleasure working with you to design a beautiful new home for your family. **★★★★★ — Shelly Baldwin, April 2016** > I absolutely love working with James and his team. They are extremely creative, effective and efficient. Most importantly, James has impeccable taste. His designs are gorgeous and practical. My project involved combining two apartments into a duplex. I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to do, but James and his team where very flexible about continually changing our plans. They are amazing to work with! **Comment from James Wagman Architect, LLC:** > Thank you, Shelly! We love working with you and Matt as well. Can't wait to see the finished product! **★★★★★ — dschwartz40, Aug. 2015** > James Wagman and his team took our pre war co-op wreck and made it into an incredible home. We worked with James from the structural design phase, identifying the contractor, ordering appliances, tile, etc...working through demolition and finally using his team to assist us in the interior designing phase. The project was filled with unexpected land-mines, but James's team was able to work through all the obstacles in a diligent, professional and timely manner. We would highly recommend James Wagman. **★★★★★ — C L, May 2015** > I hired James to design the renovation of a pre-war coop. He listened carefully to my initial thoughts and ideas and then carefully guided me through the process of turning those ideas into plans. > Along the way, he also came up with innovative ideas and novel solutions to problems which vastly improved the ultimate outcome. James and his team work were all friendly, responsive and highly professional. I would strongly recommend the services of James Wagman Architect LLC. **★★★★★ — lpinny, Nov. 2014** > During the summer of 2012, we hired James Wagman to merge and renovate a newly acquired, adjacent one bedroom apartment with our existing classic six in an Upper Eastside Co-op. Every step of the project was fun and rewarding and it is now a joy to be living in his finished product. James’ attention to lighting, scale and design is superb and his intuitive sense of how we, and our teenage boys, live in and move through our space is masterful. His design provided us with the perfect balance between privacy (our own wing) and shared family time (in our public spaces). His drawings combined elegance, style, simplicity and practicality. We crave beauty, but we also wanted to be able to live in our space. James’ calm, laid back demeanor was the perfect antidote to what could have been, and often is, a stressful undertaking. His creativity and vision, his patience with our own obsession with perfection, his willingness to understand our lifestyle, and last but not least, his lack of ego, allowed us to feel we were truly respected members of James’ team. **★★★★ — merylmessineo, June 2013** > James Wagman, Architect, is an exacting professional with the highest ideals and visionary talent. He has a good manner and tries to communicate well > in regard to the client's needs. Should some physical issue come up or building department regulation question be addressed, his firm will attend to it promptly and work hard to resolve the situation. Mr Wagman was willing to > make changes in some of the materials used, so that we could stay within our financial cap. We recommend him and would use him in the future. **Comment from James Wagman Architect, LLC:** > Meryl > I hope all is well and that the apartment is still a source of enjoyment and pleasure. I wanted to thank you for your wonderful review! we have been busy as of late and have gotten several projects from our Houzz page > > Say hi to Bob! > > Best > > James **★★★★★ — rubin219, June 2013** > James Wagman Architect has renovated a number of apartments for me and is now working on another. He and his team are creative, efficient, responsive, care about getting a job done esthetically and within a budget. They have removed the drama from construction. **★★★★★ — lynneichuk, June 2013** > We first contacted James Wagman in June of 2007 and immediately hired him to design the gut renovation of our duplex apartment on Central Park West. We interviewed several architects and reviewed their work and realized right away that James had the exact combination we were looking for in an architect. James was willing to work with us to match our needs and wishes as well as guiding us to remain true to the integral aspects of an art deco building. There was no detail that went unnoticed and no element that was not considered and dealt with beautifully. His work was impeccable and his manner extremely professional. His desire to give us a finished product that we would love did not stop with drawings. He oversaw every single detail of the entire project, introducing us to and interviewing several construction firms, personally showing us various projects, giving us many options for materials and finishes and even taking me onsite, to choose every element from fixtures to marble, to paint colors. He also coordinated work with a prominent interior decorator. James Wagman's attention to detail, his personable manner and his demand for a high quality product was unwavering from the time we contracted with him until our project was finished. We could not have been more satisfied with the entire process or the end result! James Wagman is an extremely capable and skilled architect and on top of that, a very gracious and humble individual. All in all, a true pleasure to know and to work with! **★★★★★ — yvonnelh, June 2013** > I look back on the drawings/plans that James Wagman did for our project and thought how lucky we were to have gotten James to work with us. James and his project manager, Leslie Nardini are very professional but yet easy to work with. They are very responsive to every suggestion and gave us really thoughtful and helpful advice. They submitted all the paperwork to my condo management company, board and the department of building. They hooked up the engineer, inspectors and contractors for the project. We got an amazing full service architectural company and my husband and I are so grateful to them. Our project is almost complete and I know they will be there up to the last dust is gone. **★★★★★ — Teddy Lynn, June 2013** > James and his team were a pleasure to work with. > Their work was excellent. > They listened to what we wanted, made our ideas better and made the process easy and painless. > We also very much liked the expeditor James suggested we used. **Comment from James Wagman Architect, LLC:** > Thanks so much Teddy! What a pleasure working with you, hope to see you again soon. ## Selected projects - [Harlem Renaissance](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/harlem-renaissance-pj-vj~2766837) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 10 - [Perfect Pre-War](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/perfect-pre-war-pj-vj~2144942) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 17 - Description: This apartment renovation was in collaboration with interior designers, foley&cox. The one-bedroom 1,700 sq. ft. apartment was refinished throughout, including new or repaired wood floors, new windows, and a fresh coat of paint. The kitchen was completely renovated and featured a new breakfast nook. Built-in storage was incorporated throughout, as well as two fully renovated bathrooms. The resulting space was a bright and calming oasis in an elegant and classic design. - [Pets Allowed](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pets-allowed-pj-vj~2072390) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 18 - Description: The goal for the renovation of this five-bedroom, 3,740 sq ft apartment in the Upper East Side was to highlight the expansiveness of the apartment by creating a layout with large view corridors emphasizing the depth and space. Focusing on a minimalist design and calming, blue-hued palette, we created an open layout with plenty of built-in storage and new fixtures and finishes. The resulting home was a pet-friendly space with wide open walls for a large art collection. - [Heavy Metal](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/heavy-metal-pj-vj~1704435) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 12 - Description: This 1,410 square foot apartment in the East Village required a reconfiguration of space to improve circulation and to increase the livable square footage. Our client, a sculptor, also required the additional space to accommodate her artwork. A custom helix staircase became the central focus with various upgrades throughout. Special attention was paid to decorative details and finishes to complement her metal sculpture decorating her home. - [Empty Nest](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/empty-nest-pj-vj~601862) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 18 - Description: Our client, a writer and poet, envisioned a new home to start the next chapter in her life after her only child left for college. She and her husband purchased an old, rundown 1,480 square foot apartment in the Upper West Side, which we transformed into a minimal and soothing oasis to foster her writing. With new hardwood floors, custom millwork, modern fixtures and accessories, and new furnishings throughout, this renovation provided the couple with a new start in a familiar neighborhood. The e… - [London Calling](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/london-calling-pj-vj~256042) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 15 - Description: This 2,700 square foot duplex apartment at the Century in the Upper West Side required a substantial renovation. Our clients, having moved back to New York after ten years in London, were inspired by the regal character of English design and hoped to recreate that feeling in their new home. We completely redesigned the apartment with an elegant, traditional look. The focus was on quality materials and an understated drama. The result is a majestic home, the perfect retreat from the city. - [A Pop of Color](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/a-pop-of-color-pj-vj~256477) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 10 - Description: Our client purchased this 1,265 square foot apartment on the 29th floor of the Olympic Towers in midtown New York as a retreat for their frequent visits to the city. The space underwent a renovation that included new upgrades and furnishings throughout. Floors, walls and ceilings were refinished in addition to electrical upgrades for the entire apartment. To complement the stunning views of the city skyline, all furnishings are decor were kept minimal and modern with pops of jewel tone colors to… - [Next Generation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/next-generation-pj-vj~459218) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 9 - Description: Upper West Side apartment renovation - [Growing Family](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/growing-family-pj-vj~660778) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 11 - Description: Our clients purchased the apartment next door and combined the two to create a larger home for their growing family. We connected the two apartments through the Living Room, which was completely renovated with custom millwork, refinished floors, and new fixtures and furnishings. The addition was also a gut renovation to include a new Family Room, two new children's Bedrooms, and Office and Bathroom. - [An Irish Gentleman](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/an-irish-gentleman-pj-vj~1496611) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 15 - Description: Renovation of a 1,000 square foot apartment in Lenox Hill - [Mod Loft](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mod-loft-pj-vj~256046) - Location: New York City, NY - Photos: 6 - Description: East Village Loft - winner of Metropolitan Home's "Home of the Year" - [Upper West Side Townhouse](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/upper-west-side-townhouse-pj-vj~256614) - Location: New York City, NY - Photos: 7 - [Townhouse Turnaround](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/townhouse-turnaround-pj-vj~2666883) - Location: Brooklyn, NY - Photos: 14 [See all 13 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/james-wagman-architect-llc-pfvwus-pf~469891433) ## Ideabooks - [Modern Bathroom Inspiration](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/72984102/list/modern-bathroom-inspiration) — 17 ideas - [Bedroom Nightstands](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/72984312/list/bedroom-nightstands) — 7 ideas - [Modern Kitchen Inspiration](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/72984256/list/modern-kitchen-inspiration) — 8 ideas [See all 3 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/jameswagman) ## Community Q&A **Q: Vanity?** *(in Photo Questions)* Where is the vanity from? A: Hi Sarah, the Vanity is made by Robern, V14 Series Ocean Blue Glass. I'm glad you like it! **Q: What is the wall paint brand and color....thanks** *(in Photo Questions)* A: Hi Saratogalake, The paint color is 2111-60 Barren Plain by Benjamin Moore **Q: What is the diameter of the staircase and how high is the floor?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: Hi suritijoshi, 5’ diameter 9’-6” floor to floor height **Q: Brand of Floor Tile** *(in Photo Questions)* Would you happen to know any details about the floor tile (brand/color)? Thank you. A: Hi Jennifer, We used Artistic Tile for the bathroom floor - and the color is Bosco. **Q: Vanity** *(in Photo Questions)* hi - can you provide any additional details on the vanity; size, material, where to find? thank you A: Hi weberproject, the sink is by Toto, the mirror is by Tech Lighting, the sink fixture is by Newport Brass, and the wallpaper is by Flat Vernacular. **Q: who makes the hardware in this photo?** *(in Photo Questions)* who makes the hardware in this photo? A: Hi bijou1940, we sourced all of the fixtures from Waterworks. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-31.*