Local architecture firm changes name, expands to two cities in Asia

The local design firm previously known as Axis Architecture + Interiors is focusing on an expansion to Asia as part of a larger shift in the company’s strategy that includes a new name.

The firm—now called StudioAxis—has established offices in Bangaluru, India, and Bangkok, Thailand, that the firm expects to eventually employ 20 to 25 people each.

The firm’s Indianapolis headquarters currently has 23 employees. The company also plans to pursue more projects in other nearby markets like Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; and St. Louis.

StudioAxis was founded in 1995 as Axis Architecture + Interiors by partners Kevin Cooper and Drew White. It offers architectural services for civic, corporate, health care, housing, industrial and retail clients, as well as interior design.

“The practice is 27 years old now, so we thought it would be great to rethink our approach to developing and designing architecture,” White told IBJ this week. “It’s really about us responding to our clients, both here and abroad. We’ve always had a more modern approach to our work, so … that makes it easier for us to transition into a more modern approach there in southeast Asia. I also think it will make our stronger here” in Indiana.

StudioAxis has brought on architect Cory Ticktin, a friend of White’s and frequent collaborator, to lead the Asian offices. Ticktin has lived on the continent for 10 years and has more than 30 years of experience leading large-scale projects.

“We’ve put capital into this project from Indianapolis, and our partners in southeast Asia have, as well,” White said. “We’ve been working on this for a good nine months, slowly putting it together. The most important part of this is Cory himself, as he’s the facilitator of the work and the communication component. It’s really beneficial for us to have him.”

StudioAxis officials declined to reveal how much money they were investing in the Asian expansion.

Ticktin said the new name helps separate the firm from others in the Asian market, as there are many throughout the continent that are also called Axis. 

“We needed to come up with something that was was a little bit different,” he said. “But we did so by keeping the legacy name, which was important for the team in Indianapolis and its large clientele base.”

The Indianapolis office and each of the Asia offices will operate as separate legal entities, but will work together on projects where possible. The Bangaluru and Bangkok offices already have about 10 employees total, but that figure is expected to grow in the coming years.

Axis was the 21st-largest architectural firm in central Indiana in 2022, based on the previous year’s local billings, according to IBJ research. The Indianapolis office employs nine licensed architects.

The Asia offices also already have some projects under way, including a 50-story tower in Mumbai, India—the tallest tower project with which the studio has ever been involved.

“Growth is important to us,” Cooper said. “This new collaboration will bring about new and more meaningful projects, with opportunities for associates to learn along the way. We believe that it elevates our associates to enhance the overall design process.”