Founded in 2012, New York–based consultancy Noë & Associates attracts a discerning set of domestic and international clients (including our print magazine and sister publication, Watch Journal). The firm works primarily with companies in the architecture and design realm, offering expertise in brand strategy and producing content with its signature pared-down, compelling clarity. Surface talked to founder Mark Noë about his multitalented team’s approach to immersive storytelling and authentic experience-making.
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Give us a brief overview of Noë & Associates’ history and expertise.
After selling my first agency, Marque Creative, I decided to set up Noë & Associates in order to focus on areas that most interest me. I lead a wide range of high-value, high-impact projects in the fields of culture, luxury, and real estate—we’ve worked closely with architects such as Tadao Ando, Santiago Calatrava, Renzo Piano, Robert A.M. Stern, David Chipperfield, and Zaha Hadid among others. Our 18 full-time staff members cover many areas of expertise, including brand strategy and repositioning, corporate identity creation, art direction, content creation, and multi-platform marketing.
Tell us about your firm’s core values. What’s the driving force behind its work?
We want to [encourage] our clients and their audiences to slow down. In a world of noise and visual clutter, we aim to cut through it all and help people navigate these landscapes with intelligent design. We want to show people how to pause, consider a compelling narrative, and take the time to experience a brand that, in turn, adds real value to their lives.
What does good design mean to you?
It is aesthetically pleasing, tasteful, and improves your quality of life. In our partnerships, we emphasize the importance of craft and prioritize simplicity, intelligence, and clarity. We like to work with entrepreneurial businesses that understand the value of good design and what it can mean for them.
What projects do you currently have in the works?
Three of our most visible recently launched projects include the branding, signage, and way-finding for Domino Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We also did the branding and packaging design for Nike’s collaboration with Virgil Abloh, as well as brand strategy and design for New York’s Waterline Square development—which was the fastest-selling development in Manhattan last year. We’re working on several projects in New York, Miami, Chicago, Boston, Nashville, and San Francisco. These include One Beekman, Richard Rogers’s first residential building in New York; 400 Lake Shore Drive, designed by SOM and located in Chicago; and residences by the French architect Joseph Dirand. We’re also doing the rebrand and relaunch of New York’s historic Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
