Practice Profile
Overview
Sydness Architects, a full service architectural firm of experienced professionals, is dedicated to improving the built environment by combining design excellence with a balanced consideration of our client’s requirements, the project’s budget and its context.
From our office in midtown New York City, the management and technical expertise we provide ensure our client’s objectives are met for projects of any scale. We have a wide range of experience in a variety of building types including residential, hotels, educational and cultural institutions, office buildings, master-planned communities and mixed-use developments. Our work in restoration and building repositioning has proven to be very successful and ties in well with our efforts to introduce sustainable initiatives into as many projects as possible, for both new construction and restoration/renovation projects.
We are committed to providing a very high level of client service and “hands on” principal involvement in each project. Having worked successfully in several countries around the world, providing this high level of principal attention has set us apart from larger firms doing similar scale work.
We are pleased that our track record of designing projects of varying complexity within budget has resulted in several repeat clients over the years including private developers as well as not-for-profit organizations.
Our buildings and interiors convey a lasting image, seemingly created with one defining stroke. As designs, they fully integrate the latest in technology and sustainability as well as current trends in work, learning and living and will serve their users for decades to come.
K. Jeffries Sydness, AIA Principal
K. Jeffries Sydness, AIA
Principal
Jeff Sydness, the founder of Sydness Architects, has created an international practice which specializes in both commercial and institutional work, ranging from high-rise residential and office towers to a master plan for a university in India and commercial interiors....
K. Jeffries Sydness, AIA
Principal
Jeff Sydness, the founder of Sydness Architects, has created an international practice which specializes in both commercial and institutional work, ranging from high-rise residential and office towers to a master plan for a university in India and commercial interiors. Known for his ability to combine creative design solutions with the realities of large scale development, he brings over 30 years of design experience in corporate, commercial, hospitality and residential buildings to a wide range of U.S. and international clients.
Mr. Sydness founded Sydness Architects in 1996, after winning an invited international design competition for the Shanghai St. Regis Hotel. He built steadily on that success, with commissions for major projects in some of the fastest growing areas of Asia and the U.S. They include The Alexander, a 25 story residential tower in New York City; a mixed-use complex proposed in Cairo, Egypt; the repositioning of One Light Street in Philadelphia; a planned community for Phoenix, Arizona; and residential towers in St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida.
Previously, Mr. Sydness was a partner with Johnson/Burgee Architects, a leading international architectural firm of the 1980’s and 90’s. Working closely with Philip Johnson and John Burgee, many of the buildings he designed have become significant landmarks, including 500 Boylston Street in Boston; Puerta de Europa in Madrid, Spain; and the Conrad International Hotel in Singapore. He received his BA degree from Principia College and his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota.
Melissa Cheing, AIA
Melissa Cheing, AIA
Associate
Since joining Sydness Architects over a decade ago, Melissa Cheing has brought her architectural and interiors expertise to a wide variety of projects. Highly creative and very organized, Melissa has designed and managed over 50 architectural interiors projects in Manhattan for an elite corporate clientele. ...
Melissa Cheing, AIA
Associate
Since joining Sydness Architects over a decade ago, Melissa Cheing has brought her architectural and interiors expertise to a wide variety of projects. Highly creative and very organized, Melissa has designed and managed over 50 architectural interiors projects in Manhattan for an elite corporate clientele. Recently, Melissa has led teams designing headquarters for national brands including a 14,000 square foot retail space on Fifth Avenue, luxury brand showrooms, several media-tech offices as well as higher education facilities.
Melissa is a key asset to the firm when engaging new clients. She strives for clear communication and dialog between all the project’s participants and knows how to efficiently use the team to collaborate and maximize efforts to complete projects on schedule while meeting budgets. She is a strong advocate for green design, focusing on the wellbeing of the user in each project.
Melissa was born in Atlanta and grew up in Guayaquil, Ecuador where she received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Universidad Catolica de Santiago de Guayaquil (UCSG), and later received a Master of Science degree in Sustainability from The City College of New York, where she was recipient of the Bernard and Anne Spitzer Scholarship for outstanding achievement. She is currently on track to obtain her Architectural Registration for the State of New York.
Melissa enjoys her daily commute on a citibike or electric skateboard, but when not at work, she likes spending time practicing yoga, playing with her dog Olive, traveling the world or volunteering.
Matthew Ruopoli, AIA
Matthew Ruopoli, AIA
Associate
Matthew Ruopoli joined Sydness Architects in 2015 and has managed a wide variety of projects including corporate offices, retail spaces, and cultural institutions. His portfolio also includes several complex restorations,...
Matthew Ruopoli, AIA
Associate
Matthew Ruopoli joined Sydness Architects in 2015 and has managed a wide variety of projects including corporate offices, retail spaces, and cultural institutions. His portfolio also includes several complex restorations, luxury residences, and building repositioning projects.
Some of Matthew’s many strengths include a great design sense, advanced problem-solving skills, and a critical technical eye. His unique background includes the study of the psychological and physiological effects of design, which allows him to maintain a laser focus on the end user, considering occupant interaction on both large and small scales. Matthew’s client focused mindset, when coupled with his understanding of space and design ability have led to a track record of successful and attractive projects.
Matthew graduated from Norwich University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in architectural studies, while minoring in business management, and again in 2012 with a Master of Architecture degree. He is a member of the AIA, is NCARB certified, a USGBC Green Associate, and a Construction Specifications Institute Construction Documents Technologist.