Studio Argus blends Nordic aesthetics and Estonian vernacular architecture

The Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 includes Studio Argus, a young practice joining our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios.

Who: Studio Argus

Architect Margit Argus brings more than 20 years of experience in interior design, fine arts, and architecture to her young and fast-emerging architecture studio. The practice, based in Tallinn, is rooted in a Nordic aesthetic, bringing together local Estonian vernacular and a fine attention to detail. Current projects include a seaside hotel in Tallinn, a high-rise residential building, and a university campus in Tallinn, alongside a handful of schools and single-family houses.

'The opportunity to create unique, functional, and aesthetically pleasing spaces; the ability to translate visions into tangible structures is a powerful motivator for us,' says Argus, but 'the biggest influence on Studio Argus' practice is our dedication to merging historical preservation with contemporary innovation. This approach drives our work, where we seek to honor the past while creating functional, modern spaces.'

What: House in Suurupi

The beautifully minimalist House in Suurupi is one of the studio's latest residential completions. Conceived as an archetypal gabled house, the home for a private family is made from natural materials and blends into its forest context, as it sits on a large, tree-filled plot. The interiors are spacious, featuring Nordic brightness, functionality, and plenty of natural light, blending high-quality materials with warm natural tones.

The home's living spaces contain a main sitting area, the dining room, an open kitchen, a home theatre, and a sauna complex. The whole was conceived to engage in dialogue with the greenery outside, which remains almost always visible through the property's large windows. The project was created in collaboration with Estonian architecture studio LUMIA.

Why: Architects’ Directory 2024

Conceived in 2000 as an international index of emerging architectural talent, the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory is our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe. While always championing the best and most promising young studios, over the years, the project has showcased inspiring work with an emphasis on the residential realm. Now including more than 500 alumni, the Architects’ Directory is back for its 24th edition. Join us as we launch this year’s survey – 20 young studios from Australia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, the UK, the USA, with plenty of promise, ideas and exciting architecture.

studioargus.com