MONI Studio NYC

Ridgewood, new york (2025)

MONI is a full-service creative and production studio founded by Zexi Qi. Spatial concept of their 5,000 sqft New York space was designed by Luna Ikuta.

MONI Studio is open for commercial shoots, exhibitions, and special events. The design is guided by a central instinct: space as sculpture, sculpture as space.

Scope: Spatial concept + custom furniture + material palette

The color palette extracts vibrancy from monochrome, treating material properties as pigments. Silver metals, glass, crystal, and mirrors aerate the concrete foundation of the space. These materials were selected for their inherent ability to reflect, diffuse, and sculpt light. Ceiling heights compress and release like breath, while lighting choreographs movement through the studio.

An illuminated entry walkway runs alongside the loading dock, adjacent to a custom built storage unit leading towards steel bi-fold doors. The storage unit’s aluminum surface echoes the language of the ceiling beams. Satin reflectivity recurs throughout the space as visual accents, composing the studio’s distinct tonality.

The 48' infinity cyc introduces continuous curvature against the studio’s hard lines. Illuminated as a seamless field, its surfaces dissolve from view, creating a perceptual white void that expands the sense of scale beyond limits of the floor plan. The spatial experience of the cyc embodies the founder’s vision for MONI: “Made Open, Now Infinite.”

A 15’ x 12’ LED screen commands the wall as a surface for film, digital display, and atmospheric backdrop. At rest, the screen remains as a matte black plane, forming a visual waterfall that draws the eye from ceiling to floor.

A 12’ stainless-steel and aluminum kitchen unit provides an adaptable setting for a wide range of events. The private office, enclosed by metal-framed glass doors and blackout curtains, moves between openness and intimacy. Concrete-tiled powder rooms complete the suite of amenities. The corner profiles of the office doors echo the exposed curvature of the cyclorama.

Architectural, engineering, permitting, and technical execution were performed by client-hired licensed professionals.

Collaborators:

Client - Zexi Qi

Logo Design - Idea Culture

Photography - Ruo Bing Li