PARK Magazine

SHELTER
Campion Platt
Redesigning the
Design World
BY JULIE SAGOSKIN
he might be one of the most well-known names in
architecture and design after first bringing his sense
of style to the home decor scene over three decades
ago, but Campion Platt, who has appeared on the
AD100 list multiple times, is still paving the way for
posh design - in his own way.
After graduating from the University of Michigan
with an undergraduate degree in architecture, Platt
landed in New York. After modeling, traveling around
Europe, completing a three-year master’s program
at Columbia and serving as an apprentice for a major
firm based in Miami which was credited with making
the Miami skyline, Campion was ready to champion
the design world. He eventually found himself working
at their New York office and his extensive travels
continue to inspire his design ideals. As Campion
explains, architects were required to apprentice with
another firm before being allowed to take the necessary
exam to become your own architect. His budding
home building and design career was about to reach
new - and very haute - heights.
One of Platt’s first projects which also appealed to
his entrepreneurial side was the ownership and
construction of the Mercer Hotel in Soho along with
business partner Andre Balazs. “Hotels are really the
most interesting building type because you can design
everything from the toothbrush stand to the front
entrance,” explains Campion. While he is sometimes
only doing one or the other, Campion enjoys those
projects where he can do both architecture and interior
decorating together; in New York, there are only about
ten top designers who are known for this. He also
revolutionized Downtown Manhattan when he started
MercBar in 1989, in addition to taking equity interest
in other restaurants and bars. Today, Campion mostly
uses his creativity to curate spaces for high-profile
clients in finance, law and tech, as well as for Hollywood
celebrities who have New York apartments or homes
in the Hamptons.
While he remains humble, let’s just say that the
latest celebrity dream home you were fantasizing
about was most likely designed by Platt. Although
he says that most famous clients outsource almost
everything to their handlers, he has always had direct
connection to all of his celebrity clients. “Conan O’Brien
is such a smart guy, he really got it. We talked about
so many things during the whole process. Meg Ryan
was also great. We did a 1930s secessionist movement
arts and crafts apartment. She was really involved
in the design and really knew a lot about it. I’m not a
big arts and crafts stye guy but chanelled Charles
Rennie McIntosh and she loved it. A lot of celebs don’t
have time to deal with things, they usually just jump
in to look at floor plans. Most of them will simply
choose a famous designer, but there are also others
who really do their research and go with someone
who makes their heart sing. Those are the ones who
I know really appreciate my work.”
According to this A-list architect, his own claim to