Branch by Holloway Li: A British Eye on New York Style
people • designers
Holloway Li is a London-based architecture and interior design studio known for creating playful, immersive spaces that blur the boundaries between design, art, and culture. Founded by Alex Holloway and Na Li, the studio’s work combines material innovation with a cinematic approach to storytelling, crafting interiors that are experiential, layered, and rich in narrative. From boundary-pushing hospitality projects to collectable objects, Holloway Li fuses bold textures, nostalgic references, and contemporary craftsmanship. Their design language balances curiosity with precision, where atmosphere, rhythm, and cultural context are as vital as form and function.
One of Holloway Li’s recent standout projects is Branch, a private members’ club located above Bryant Park in Manhattan. Designed by the London-based interior design studio, the space offers a refined escape from the city’s frenetic pace, a sanctuary where members can reconnect, recharge, and experience New York from a more introspective vantage point. The interiors reflect Holloway Li’s signature approach, blending British design sensibility with the creative pulse of New York City. With its layered materials, calm palette, and thoughtful spatial rhythm, Branch redefines what a modern members’ club in New York can feel like: intimate, elevated, and culturally attuned.
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Words: designeers
juLY 2025
WEBSITE: hollowayli.com & aram.co.uk
INSTAGRAM: @_hollowayli
DESIGNEERS
Let’s start with Holloway Li. For those new to your work, who are you and what defines your studio’s approach to interiors?
Alex Holloway
We’re Holloway Li, a London-based interiors architecture studio led by me (Alex Holloway) and my brilliant co-founder, Na Li. We work with an exciting line-up of international clients, with recent projects including reimagining Mother London’s iconic Shoreditch HQ and dreaming up a members’ club in the sky in NYC.
I’d say what defines and distinguishes our approach is our investment in the cultural resonance of a space - there’s a feeling of nostalgia in our designs that leans into the cinematic. That, and a deep-rooted material curiosity, we’re constantly experimenting with everyday materials and how these can elevate an interior when reworked into unexpected states.
DESIGNEERS
What was the energy you wanted people to feel when they walk into Branch for the first time?
Na Li
We wanted guests to feel an immediate sense of sanctuary, as if they were walking into a serene retreat perched above the hustle and bustle of the city.
DESIGNEERS
This project sits six floors above Bryant Park. Was there a particular moment or view that shaped your design direction?
Alex Holloway
The space is lucky enough to have sweeping double-height and dual-aspect views across the road to the iconic New York Public Library. We chose to pair together lush greenery, classic mid-century furnishings, and polished details to create an interior that feels intrinsically connected to its surrounds.
DESIGNEERS
Describe Branch in three words.
na li
Tranquil, rhythmic, green!
DESIGNEERS
A British studio designing in NYC. What did you bring from London, and what did you leave behind?
Alex Holloway
The Branch has very North American proportions, and we wanted to balance this with classic European designs. We chose to reference so much of the space’s locality but bring some of our most loved classic furniture pieces to give it a timeless feel.
“I’d say what defines and distinguishes our approach is our investment in the cultural resonance of a space - there’s a feeling of nostalgia in our designs that leans into the cinematic.”
Alex Holloway
DESIGNEERS
The furniture curation spans Knoll to Cassina to Eileen Gray. Which piece feels like the soul of the space?
NA LI
We were really excited to work with Aram to curate the furniture for the space. I personally love the Acerbis Sheraton Sideboard, it's finished in a deep green glossy lacquer and really sets the tone and rhythm for the space.
DESIGNEERS
What’s one object, artwork or design detail in Branch that always sparks conversation?
Alex Holloway
It would have to be the green terrazzo bar. The club is set in Park Terrace Hotel, a David Chipperfield-designed building, and we looked to complement Chipperfield’s original terrazzo columns by bringing the material to life in a punchier, more playful palette.
DESIGNEERS
What’s one overlooked detail in the space that design lovers will notice?
NA LI
For me, the fluted timber detailing along the banquettes subtly recalls the rhythmic spines of stacked books.
Alex Holloway
The aged brass table lights by New York-based designer Thomas O’Brien, which cast a warm, intimate glow and offer an intentional homage to classic library reading lamps.
