Isaac-Rae was born in 2012 on a rock in the sea: Shelter Island.

We lived here and created together at the time making sculptures, social experiments, gardens, furniture, tools and objects; this was the gateway to collaborating on greater space. We used Clay's unused first name (Isaac) and Margot’s middle name (Rae) as a way to tap into a new, unknown creative conversation with one another.

Isaac-Rae approaches architecture and design from an unconventional and artful perspective first. Clay is a licensed architect, but he was raised in a Louis Kahn-based architectural education that focused heavily on art and design. Margot is a writer and experiential designer who has worked with institutions, brands, and people on a spectrum of conceptual designs. Our common ground is atmosphere. We care about the functional essence of a place, space, thing, idea for the people that will experience it, live it.