Studio
Chapter · One
Daniel J. Hasebe, AIA — Founding Principal
Daniel J. Hasebe trained as an architect at Columbia GSAPP, completing his Master of Architecture in 2003. He spent the following two years, 2004 through 2006, apprenticing in Kyoto under master carpenter Tanaka Kiyoshi — an immersion in Japanese joinery, material discipline, and the slow patience required to make things well. He returned to New York, earned his architectural licensure in New York, New Jersey, and California, and founded Hasebe Studio in 2007.
Seventeen years later, he remains the sole principal on every commission. There are no handoffs. From the first sketch on tracing paper to the final walk-through on handover day, the same person who conceived the project stands in the room when it is finished. The studio's name is also the principal's name because the work is, and has always been, his.
He holds NCARB certification and is licensed in New York, New Jersey, and California. He has been a member of the American Institute of Architects since 2008 and received the 2023 AIA New York Honor Award for Residential Architecture.
Chapter · Two
Four Tenets of Practice
The studio's working principles, written down so a prospective client can read them before the first conversation.
-
01
One principal, every commission.
Daniel J. Hasebe is the lead designer, the lead client contact, and the lead on-site presence from contract to handover. The studio employs four full-time staff; none of them are partnered on client work in his place. This is by design, not by limitation.
-
02
Material before form.
Every project begins with the materials it will be made from — their grain, their weight, their aging, their provenance. Form follows what the material wants to become. The Brooklyn millwork workshop exists so the studio can specify, prototype, and refine its own casework rather than delegate it.
-
03
Multi-phase planning, not fast drafting.
The studio front-loads schematic design, programming, and material research before a single detail drawing is issued. The studio's average project retains its fee 31% longer than the industry benchmark — a measurable consequence of planning that takes the time it takes.
-
04
Disclosure over certification.
Since 2019, the studio has published a Material Transparency Index for every new build, naming the manufacturer, composition, and origin of more than 600 specified products. The Index is self-published disclosure, not a third-party sustainability certification — the studio prefers honest disclosure to claims it cannot independently verify.
Chapter · Three
Four People, One Workshop, Every Project Led by the Principal
The studio is intentionally small. The principal, a project architect, a design associate, and a studio manager form the full team. Adjacent to the studio, the Brooklyn millwork workshop employs a separate crew of cabinetmakers and finish carpenters who produce the casework, cabinetry, and built-ins that the studio specifies.
- Daniel J. Hasebe, AIAFounding Principal
- [Project Architect]Project Architect
- [Design Associate]Design Associate
- [Studio Manager]Studio Manager
Chapter · Four
Press & Awards
- 2024 Dezeen Featured project, October 2024 issue.
- 2023 Architectural Digest Featured residence, 2023.
- 2023 AIA New York Honor Award for Residential Architecture.
- 2022 Dwell Featured project, April 2022.
- 2021 Architectural Digest Featured residence, 2021.
Recognition from the named publications and the AIA New York chapter. No client names are listed without written consent.
Begin a Project
The first conversation is a paid design consultation. It covers scope, site, budget, and timeline, and ends with a written assessment from the principal.
Begin a Project →