Studio Heech transforms a Seoul home, nodding to Pierre Chareau’s Maison De Verre

Studio Heech joins the Wallpaper Architects’ Directory 2024, our annual curated listing of emerging practices from around the world. The Korean practice was founded in 2018 by Heechan Park, a qualified architect who'd spent his time between London and Seoul. His Mews House, a transformed brick structure originally built 30 years ago in the heart of Seoul, showcases the studio's contemporary architecture approach through the simple insertion of glass bricks at its heart, creating a new bright and airy space.

Who: Studio Heech

Working across a range of creative fields that encompass architecture, industrial design, furniture, and interactive performance installation, Studio Heech welcomes multi-layered, rich experiences. Meanwhile, ‘the craftsmanship of “making things” is still important in the 21st century,’ says Park. With a keen eye for detail, the studio strives to create its contemporary architectural expression through techniques that bridge technology and traditional manufacturing – ultimately addressing the fundamentals of urban architecture.

Championing both the traditional and the contemporary, the studio often creates intriguing architectural forms. As with many forward-thinking practices, Studio Heech integrates sustainability into its work. From planning through to construction, Park makes sure to collaborate with a wide network of engineers, artists and craftsmen to broaden ideas and spark curiosity within the creative process.

What: Mews House

Originally built in 1990, Mews House was a classic brick home tucked away in the quiet mews in the residential neighbourhood of Seocho-dong, Seoul. The same client built the original structure 30 years ago and asked Park to give the building a refresh, creating a new multi-generational home to accommodate their family, while containing privacy and personal space for all.

Making the most of the existing build, Studio Heech inserted translucent glass bricks to fill in the U-shaped façade and provide a new living room. The ceiling was raised to create an atrium with a roof-light. The design was inspired by Pierre Chareau’s 1932 Maison De Verre, a celebrated example of modernist architecture that effortlessly merges indoors and outdoors. Mews House’s new glass wall flirts with the same concept while respecting its own condition, retaining the family’s history and memories of the old building on site. A touch of colour is integrated through the entrance hall tiles, adding a sense of playfulness.

Why: Wallpaper* Architects Directory

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.

studioheech.com