_
Hudson Yards is the largest development in New York since Columbus Circle, and its signature residential property was designed by the legendary, Pritzker Prize–winning architect Zaha Hadid—her first building in the city.
As strategist at Mother Design, I led ethnographic research to understand the target audience—global art collectors and cultural tastemakers. We uncovered a key insight: these buyers don’t just want to live with art, they want to live inside it. This insight shaped our brand positioning, identity system, and messaging, presenting the building itself as a work of art and heroizing Zaha Hadid as an icon in the tradition of fashion and contemporary art.
The resulting creative platform spanned an immersive sales gallery experience, a digital hub, and print collateral designed to match the building’s architectural significance and cultural cachet—ultimately helping Related Companies attract one of the most discerning audiences in real estate.
_
Highlights:
Led ethnographic research revealing art collectors’ desire to “live inside art”
Developed brand positioning and messaging platform elevating Zaha Hadid’s architectural vision
Delivered strategy guiding naming, identity, creative platform, and experience design
Produced a fully integrated brand ecosystem: sales gallery, digital hub, print collateral, and packaging
_
Head of Strategy: Charlie McKittrick; Strategy: Gilian Rappaport; Creative Direction: Christian Cervantes; Writing: Marisa Aveling; Production: Amanda Weidman
_
Images courtesy of Mother Design and Christian Cervantes