Studio Officina Architecture PLLC

My wife and I bought a brownstone in Brooklyn at the end of 2021 and hired Luki at around the same time to do a full gut renovation. We spent a few months on the design process during which Luki made sure we considered a myriad of details, helping us make many small decisions that came together into a wonderfully thought out and executed design. Luki's experience, knowledge and intuition helped us turn our ideas into concrete pieces of the design, by providing us with valuable feedback on how to improve upon them and showing us how they would all fit with the whole. Her ability to see both the forest and the trees was crucial to the success of this process and of the entire project. Next, Luki helped us find a few contractors to bid on the project. Once the first few bids came in, we realized that, because of the financial crisis of 2022, we needed to reduce the scope of the work to be able to afford it and Luki helped us tweak the design to do so. We found a great contractor thanks to Luki's recommendations. She also recommended a fantastic cabinet maker, a very fast and competent expeditor, a structural engineer and a mechanical engineer. The construction process had a few bumps in the road, as often happens. The main issue we discovered was termite damage in the joists on both floors of the house. Luki worked with the structural engineer and contractor to make a plan to address the issue. This was a pretty stressful situation, worst case scenario really, but Luki reassured us that we could find solutions to every problem, something she did over and over. Luki managed the entire project. She set weekly meetings with the contractor to inspect the work, request necessary fixes or changes, and discuss next steps, making sure we were happy with the work. She also made sure all licenses and insurance policies were current and all the paperwork was being completed in a timely fashion, be it by the contractor, expeditor or other professionals. She urged us to order materials and appliances ahead of time (lead times in 2022 were particularly long) so the work never stalled because of missing materials. The work proceeded at a steady pace for about 8 months and in the end we were very satisfied with how everything turned out. In hindsight, we embarked upon a very ambitious renovation project without having a lot of experience with renovations, project management and all the bureaucracy associated with it. Thankfully Luki was there to guide us every step of the way. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable on all technical aspects related to this process, she was constantly a few steps ahead, making sure we would get no surprises, or preparing us for any potential ones. We can't thank Luki enough for all that and we would wholeheartedly recommend her for any project, big or small.

Working with Luki Anderson/Studio Officina on our townhouse renovation was a pleasurable experience. We were so impressed with Luki's thoughtful planning, sophisticated but playful aesthetic, and problem-solving smarts. She is a meticulous planner, and oversaw our entire renovation which included the semi-gut of two floors, opening up back of house with glazing and a deck, new kitchen, and two new bathrooms. Luki helped us understand where we could splurge (custom patterned cement tiles, which we still enamored of) and where we could pull back. Her follow through on everything, from decision-making on hardware and colors to navigating DOB permits, is superb. Three years in we still marvel at how beautiful and light-filled our "new" house is. We highly recommend working with Luki.

My consultations with Studio Officina first on a bathroom reno, and then on how to tackle my fixer upper co-op (historic windows, kitchen, electrical) were invaluable. As a first time home owner I was overwhelmed by how complex renovations are, so I'm very happy Luki was able to clearly and competently explain everything. Fantastic design and budget advice, knowledge of materials, knowledge of industry standards, and contractor recos. Luki is a great listener too, and so was the recommended general contractor. Highly recommend!!

I wholeheartedly recommend contacting Studio Officina Architecture as you begin planning a renovation -- even if you're not yet sure whether you need to partner with an architect or interior designer. I contacted Luki at Studio Officina at the very beginning stage -- prior to purchasing my new home -- to help visualize the possibilities and anticipate the challenges of a home renovation. I am very glad I did! Luki brought vision, skill, experience, professionalism, and tremendous value to this project, which involved a full gut renovation including structural work. Through her capable and detail-oriented design and project management, she helped me realize a transformation that went far beyond my expectations, all while effectively navigating the labyrinthine processes associated with filing such work with the city and maintaining a budget-conscious approach. Thank you, Studio Officina!

We were lucky to work with Luki Anderson of Studio Officina on a gut renovation of our galley kitchen and small bathroom in a 1940’s moderne apartment building. Luki asked thoughtful questions about our goals, ideas and budget for the project and, collaborating closely with our general contractor, translated our answers, wish lists and inspiration boards into rooms that were even more efficient and beautiful than we imagined they could be. The modest investment in architectural and design support from Studio Officina was well worth it.

It was a pleasure to work with Luki Anderson/Studio Officina to build a new deck, back door and stairs to the back yard of our brownstone. This process involved designing the structure, working with Dept of Buildings for submission and approval of the plans, coordination of environmental and other testing, support in selecting and oversight of a building contractor and other providers (engineer, etc.), support selecting from a variety of materials and other options, etc. Throughout, we felt that Luki listened to our goals, priorities, and concerns and carefully navigated us through this process - one which can be frustrating for newbies to construction. She was attentive, responsive, warm, organized, prepared, efficient, patient, detail oriented, and went the extra mile for us as clients. On the whole, we are delighted with the results and would be happy to work with her again.

I had an outstanding experience working with Studio Officina Architecture to design a new kitchen, and would recommend them highly to anyone starting a new renovation project. The solutions that they came up with were ingenious and anticipated how the space would be used in really thoughtful, detail-oriented, and smart ways. They listened to my list of space needs, my budget, and my aesthetic choices well, and steered me in wonderful directions, with a range of budgetary options. They are extremely professional and responsive, and I recommend them highly!

Luki Anderson at Studio Officina is an amazing collaborator and project manager for our top-to-bottom townhouse renovation project. She consistently worked within our budget to help us achieve the aesthetic we want, and managed a positive and productive relationship with our contractor. Luki is invaluable in navigating the constantly changing and seemingly inaccessible landscape of the Department of Buildings, and her architectural vision is matched only by her optimistic spirit and clever ability to problem-solve. -Megan & Luke