Founded by visionary creators Jack Sulkin and Gabriel Askenazi, SULKIN ASKENAZI is a boundary-pushing design studio redefining the landscape of contemporary architecture and interior design. Their approach is bold, fresh, and disruptive, creating spaces that challenge convention and ignite emotion. They specialize in crafting environments that seamlessly blend architecture, interior design, custom furniture, and art to deliver immersive, multisensory experiences. Driven by a fearless commitment to innovation, SULKIN ASKENAZI thrives on reimagining the ordinary. Each project is a canvas for bold ideas, where functionality meets artistry to create designs that are not only visually stunning but profoundly meaningful.
(Image above: Jack Sulkin and Gabriel Askenazi | Image by Mariana Achach)
Sutura by Sulkin Azkenazi | Photo by Ricardo de la Concha
When you were a kid, what did you dream of becoming? Did any of those childhood ambitions lead you to where you are today?
G.A: I was obsessed with worlds, imaginary ones, physical ones, digital ones. I didn’t know it was called “design” yet, but I was already trying to reorganize space, clothes, and toys into new systems. I guess architecture was the adult version of building chaos beautifully.
Where and what did you study?
J.S & G.A: We studied Architecture at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. It gave us the tools, but our real education came from questioning those same tools.
Was there a specific turning point or experience when you realized that design was your true calling?
J.S: Yes, when I realized design could be narrative, not just structure. That it could say something about who we are and how we move. That’s when it stopped being a career and became a language
Fuega 14 by Sulkin Askenazi | Photo by Mariana Achach
Is there a particular designer, artwork, or design movement that deeply inspires you? How has it influenced your own style or philosophy?
G.A: I’ve always admired people who blur boundaries: Tadao Ando’s silence, Virgil Abloh’s chaos, Iris van Herpen’s futurism. They remind me that design doesn’t have to belong to one world — it can create new ones.
Which designers do you love following on social media? What draws you to their work?
J.A & G.A: We like following studios or artists who think visually but talk emotionally — like Harry Nuriev, Snarkitecture, or BIG Architects. Their feeds feel more like ongoing experiments than finished work.
How would you describe your design philosophy? Has it evolved over time, and if so, how?
J.A & G.A: We design from concept, not from form. Every project starts with a story, a tension, or a question — and the architecture becomes the answer. Over time, we’ve become more minimal in shape but more radical in intention.
Privada 14 by Sulkin Askenazi | Photo by Alejandro X.García S.
Tell us a bit about where you live: How long have you been there, and how does your environment shape your creative process?
J.A & G.A: Mexico City is a contradiction — dense, chaotic, and full of energy. It forces you to be flexible, to find beauty in imperfection. That energy constantly seeps into our work.
Which of your projects are you most proud of, and what makes them stand out for you?
G.A: “Sutura,” our latest installation for Design House. It’s a retro-futurist gym wrapped entirely in stainless steel and denim — part sculpture, part performance. It questions the idea of effort, repetition, and material identity.
In your opinion, what is the most significant challenge facing the design world today? How do you think designers should respond to it?
J.S: The world is oversaturated with content and undernourished in meaning. The challenge is not to make things — it’s to make sense. Designers need to build emotion, not just structures.
What are you currently working on?
J.S: A school in Punta Cana inspired by Finnish educational systems, a some restaurants in Miami, and some residences in México, Miami and NYC.
What’s on the horizon for you? Any upcoming projects, events, or goals you’re particularly looking forward to?
G.A: To expand Sulkin Askenazi beyond architecture — into visual direction, brand collaborations, and cultural projects. We want to design spaces, but also the conversations around them.
What’s a favorite movie, band, or song that has inspired or shaped your creative mind?
G.A: “Fruitcake Part 2” by BFRND — it’s the perfect balance between traditional sounds and futurism. Also, anything by Laberinth. His sound feels like architecture: rhythm, silence, and unexpected shifts.
