Thomas Juul-Hansen makes for an unlikely NYC architecture superstar. The Danish-born, Harvard-educated design master not only eschews the “starchitect” ethos — he’s also an avowed socialist.
“That starchitect business is all about ego, and ego is the root of all evil,” says the 45-year-old father of two girls, who’s now tackling an endless string of high-profile Manhattan residential projects. “I’m trying to make buildings that are high-quality, not statement buildings that say ‘Look at me.’ ”
Juul-Hansen began snowboarding in 2011.COURTESY OF BURTONBut it’s hard to ignore Juul-Hansen, who’s currently handling the interiors at Midtown’s soaring One57 tower, the architecture and insides of the High Line-hugging 505 W. 19th St. project, and the entire design scheme for the glass- and limestone-clad 60 E. 86th St. condos. He’s also expanding his firm’s purview with upcoming projects in Miami, London and Los Angeles.
Juul-Hansen shares more with Alexa about his life, his signature style and his no-nonsense approach to luxury — by the numbers.
670: Condos his firm has designed, spanning 15 different projects.
6: Evenings Juul-Hansen sits down to dinner with his family each week, citing studies that it increases children’s ability to learn.
0: Weekends Juul-Hansen has spent in the office since establishing his firm in 2003. His staff is banned from working weekends as well.
12: Pairs of custom-made leather pants by Libra Leather that Juul-Hansen owns; from October to April he won’t wear anything else.
The cheapest thing in Juul-Hansen’s home.Ikea$10: Cost of the least expensive item of furniture in his Tribeca home — a rice-paper table lamp from Ikea (left).
$18,218: Cost of the most expensive — a 1957 Poul Kjaerholm PK80 daybed.
2011: Year Juul-Hansen, a lifelong skier, began snowboarding so he could share his passion with his 9-year-old daughter. His most recent snowboarding trip was to Beaver Creek, Colo.
12: Degrees that the windows at 505 W. 19th are slanted, in order to obscure the view of potential peeping Toms on the High Line.
6,000: Weight, in pounds, of each $150,000 Italian-marble bathtub his team installed at One57.
15: Hours per week he worked at an architecture firm while also attending grad school full time at Harvard.
298: Citi Bike rides he took to work and to meetings in 2014, in lieu of taxis.
Juul-Hansen prefers Citi Bikes to cabs.Handout4,669: Feet of salvaged snow fencing from Wyoming that Juul-Hansen used to clad the country house he built for his family in Barryville, NY.
800: Bottles in his home wine fridge, though he says he has clients with 5,000 to 10,000.
25: Percentage of the condos at 50 West St. whose living rooms have dramatic 20-foot ceilings.
18: Paul Smith suits Juul-Hansen owns, all purchased on sale in the same cut but in different materials.



