The Times has a story about Markus Dochantschi of studioMDA, whose office is at 102 Franklin and whose work as an architect for art galleries is attempting to “gradually wean the art world off its addiction to harsh lighting, frosted windows and architecture that intimidates people rather than welcoming them.” And since he and real estate agent Jonathan Travis have done so many recent deals here, I thought it was worth regurgitating here.

The Times describes his architectural philosophy as ‘soft white cube’ vs. sterile white cube, which sounds mostly like honoring the raw bones of what we all know are some wonderful spaces. “I’m not celebrating the skylight, I’m using the skylight,” Dochantschi said to The Times. “I love clean well-proportioned white walls, but they can coexist next to an old wooden floor, or a typical TriBeCa tin ceiling.”

Here’s a sampling, and I am sure I am missing some:

He’s working on Alexander Gray:

and Marian Goodman across the street:

and Nino Mier right now:

He did Luhring Augustine in September 2020:

and Andrew Kreps in 2019:

and Bortolami in 2017:

and PPOW in 2022: