Meet Rafael de Cárdenas, Architect on the Rise

An architect, designer, art collector, and advisor, Rafael de Cárdenas is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to design—and the secret is out. From his art-filled Manhattan studio, surrounded by works from artists like Vanessa Beecroft and Sam Falls, de Cárdenas designs couture interiors for an A-list of clients—from Parker Posey’s East Village apartment to Baccarat’s Madison Avenue showroom—on behalf of his design firm, ARCHITECTURE AT LARGE. On the occasion of the object Artsy co-commissioned with our friends at Cultured Magazine, Artsy stopped by de Cárdenas’ studio to learn about the piece from the designer himself, who, seated in a chair by Philippe Starck, opened up about his inspirations, the relationship between art and design, and his passion for collecting that, he jokes, “is breaking the bank.”

Photographs by Clemens Kois

Next: Why He Collects Art