Following last week’s visit to Los Angeles’ TOLO Architecture, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series east to Brooklyn, New York, where we find innovative practice StudioTEKA.

Founded in 2003 by Vanessa Keith, the practice operates from a “beautiful loft space in the heart of DUMBO,” producing work which varies from carefully-crafted commercial, residential, and interiors to visionary urban design proposals and research provocations.

With six core staff and ongoing contributions from freelancers, the practice is currently recruiting for a junior/intern architect over on Archinect Jobs.

Describing their office atmosphere, StudioTEKA says that “in contrast to a stuffy corporate office, you’ll find our studio relaxed, friendly and informal, and fun to work in!” The firm approaches its work through a multidisciplinary lens, intersecting with architecture, economic and social development, and urban and environmental concerns.

Always keen to embrace new technologies, the StudioTEKA team recently jumped into the metaverse as part of their VR Happy Hour, visiting “Stonehenge in outer space, then an underwater world where we rode a killer whale, and then let loose on a barren planet that we quickly populated with flying dinosaurs, Greek statues, and other fun stuff!”

Climate change features strongly in the firm’s output. Studio founder Vanessa Keith is the author of the book 2100: A Dystopian Utopia – the City After Climate Change, published by Terreform as part of Michael Sorkin’s Urban Research Series. The book, which describes the future of cities in a hotter world, is currently being transformed into an immersive virtual reality experience and was recently featured in the Netflix documentary series The Future Of Skyscrapers. The firm is therefore particularly keen to hear from candidates who share their passion for tackling climate change through innovative methods and solutions.

The firm’s research and writing is complimented by client-facing design projects, spanning urban design, residential, commercial, site planning, interiors, lighting, feasibility studies, and investment packages. Recently completed projects include the Sutton Place Penthouse in New York City, where the team’s “subtle and elegant approach” centered around the client’s collection of antiques. For their reconfiguration of an aesthetic and implant dental arts office in Brooklyn, meanwhile, Studioteka revitalized the space with driftwood gray floors, blue hues for the walls, and inset glass doors.

“We view the design process as a collaboration between architect and client, an ongoing conversation in which a balance is achieved among a variety of factors, such as site conditions, material properties, and the specific needs of the users of the space,” the firm says. “We believe that the key to a great work of architecture lies in this critical interaction and that an enlightened client is as important as an inspired architect.”

Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.