Andrey Kudryavtsev
CEO, MODGI Group
Function over form is the mantra that has fueled Andrey Kudryavtsev, CEO of St. Petersburg, Russia-based studio MODGI Group, to accrue a portfolio of eateries and other public spaces as effective as they are attractive. “Design for the sake of design is probably appropriate in contemporary art, but when we talk about the design of interiors, premises, public spaces, functionality becomes the first priority,” Kudryavtsev says. “We are close to the idea of minimalism, clean space. Excessive paraphernalia [and] unnecessary interior details interfere.”
MODGI Group is specifically defined by an array of adaptive reuses that transform historic Russian volumes into convivial, contemporary havens. One standout project is Butcher House, a 19th-century tavern and wine cellar now overhauled into an eatery inspired by the early American colonies. Opportunities for eclecticism or kitschy touches are bucked in place of a more subtle, exploratory sensory experience that recalls the American prairie through rough textures, warm organic tones, and dried flora.

Eccentric details and a pervasive peach hue characterize the modern Asian-inspired design for MODGI Group’s Pan Am restaurant in St. Petersburg
Kudryavtsev credits a democratic process to the success of the eight-person firm’s steady but singular project management model. “We have horizontal management, and leadership can shift depending on the stage,” he explains. “At the idea stage, the leader is definitely a designer. In the process of implementation, priority is given to the architect, who interacts with the builders and brings the project to life.”
An uptick in commissions for public space design signals to Kudryavtsev that MODGI’s style can not only meet demand but evolve as he grows the firm’s hospitality portfolio. “We are gradually expanding our scope of activities towards the hotel business. It has its own specifics, but our approach is the same—simplicity, functionality, efficiency,” Kudryavtsev says. “I think we found our face and it has characteristic, recognizable features.”
Stephanie Schroeder and Cat O’Brien
Founders, Alchemy Studio
Stephanie Schroeder and Cat O’Brien first met at New York-based Whitehall Interiors, where they collaborated on the design of a rental building in downtown Brooklyn. From the very beginning, they had a common can-do attitude. “We did everything from concept design to construction documents,” Schroeder says. The pair also shared a drive to write their own story with a practice of their own. “We wanted to do something a little less corporate and a little more hands-on,” Schroeder adds.
Forged in 2017, Alchemy Studio reflects the sleek, distinctly New York ideals that fostered the duo’s initial bond. And like all strong connections, O’Brien and Schroeder thrive via a perfected balance. “We both like clean, fresh, modern spaces that do have a little bit of a dark vibe or mood tucked in there,” Schroeder says. “We call it ‘witchy woman,’” O’Brien adds. “We just like our spaces to have a personality and not feel sterile. Even though they kind of speak the same Alchemy design language, they’re totally unique.”

Terrazzo flooring and inviting stone surfaces define the lobby at a residential building in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
From artfully reborn brownstones in the West Village to modernist condominiums in Harlem, Alchemy’s style is defined by a tactile, locally informed aesthetic described by O’Brien as “rough, rugged, and raw juxtaposed with really classic, timeless, refined.” Alchemy spaces showcase these thoughtful dualities, like natural stone paired with exposed concrete or a raw wood installed alongside a sleek or shiny surface.
With hospitality projects in the works, Schroeder and O’Brien are eager to pursue even greater creative flexibility. “You have a little bit more freedom because people aren’t living in the space every day,” O’Brien says. “In a residential lobby, we can go crazy and have a ton of fun in there, but at the end of the day, people want something they feel like they can come home to and feel really comfortable in.”

A residential penthouse in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood is elevated with tactile materials
Photos by Sergey Melnikov, Dmitry Tsyrenschikov, Alexey Saylander, and AS-Soba
This article originally appeared in HD’s December 2020 issue.