It was the university tutor of Johan Hybschmann and Margaret Bursa – co-founders of architecture and interior design studio Archmongers – who “actually suggested that we work together,” The architects tell enki. After graduating from The Bartlett UCL in 2009 and working for various practices, the duo began entering competitions until they were awarded their first commission: a brief to refurbish a Mid-century modern flat in central London. And, well, the rest is history…
Now with an impressive portfolio of reimagined residential, commercial and retrofit projects, Archmongers have cemented themselves as experts in transforming spaces for the future.
Here we chat to Archmongers to explore how their work has evolved since their university days and just why “building modern replicas of historic looking buildings or details should be avoided at all costs.” Read on to get to know Johan and Margaret…
How did you first get into architecture and design?
“We were both drawn to creative subjects throughout our childhood. Johan grew up in Denmark, just outside Copenhagen, and Margaret grew up in the UK, with a strong connection to the Czech Republic because of her Czech parents. Both countries and their art, design and architecture heritage have influenced our design practice. Architecture felt like a subject that could combine our interests in the arts, our obsession with design and craft and the social aspects of designing spaces and places. We both feel fortunate that we were able to turn a passion and an interest into a career.”
Where does the name come from?
“We liked the history of specialist high street traders, catering to the local community’s needs; an Architectural-monger.”
Would you say you have a certain design aesthetic? What is this?
“We’re not overly conscious about this but we probably do. For us, design starts with optimum spatial layouts, balancing functionality and pleasure. This is paired with honest materials that we love, which either wear well or improve with age and patina. Our projects have a high attention to detail and each element can be bold or visually strong but also has to sit in harmony with everything around it. We’re not sure that our aesthetic has a name, and we’re also not sure we want it to have one, but we know that it has its roots in Scandinavian modernism, specifically Denmark where Johan grew up.”
You work a lot with retrofits, what are the pros and cons of this?
“The pros are the immediate reuse of an existing structure, a saving of embodied carbon. Working with existing buildings also helpfully restricts and directs the design process – there’s a great design comfort in that. The cons are that it can be more technically complex to work with an existing structure than starting from scratch, and in these scenarios a new-build strategy is the more viable option financially, if not environmentally.”
What do you wish more people knew about retrofits?
“That they can be just as transformative and architecturally exciting as a new-build. We also enjoy leaving clues to the history of the original house, revealing the evolution of the spaces, rather than layering over or covering up the alterations. This can add a feeling of historic depth which is harder to achieve in more aggressive conversions or new-build properties.”
What materials do you like to work with and why?
“We generally like materials that we know will age well over time. We are drawn to using natural materials, not composites or ‘fake’ versions of natural materials. We like to work with faster and more sustainability grown solid woods such as Douglas fir, which can be treated in different ways yielding different finishes. This brings a warmth to the projects allowing us to combine it with more industrial materials such as steel, marbles, and tiles in areas exposed to high traffic or use.”
What do you see is currently trending in residential architecture?
“One ‘trend’ that we really enjoy at the moment, is evidently spreading particularly in places like Denmark and Belgium. Again, we’re not sure it has a name but it’s ethos stems from ‘building simpler’ and not covering everything up in surfaces and layers of paint. Wall sections have a lot less materials in their build-up, materials are self-finished are left exposed and the way that elements are constructed is clearly legible. There’s a beautiful clarity in this approach to building that we really enjoy and, to us, it’s a very clever take on sustainability in building. It demands a lot in the detailing of schemes and the building trades involved, but the result is very satisfying on various levels.”
What would you like to change about the landscape of residential architecture in the UK?
“We would like to challenge the idea of the traditional home. It seems strange to us that the expectation of what a home should look like is based on a historical typology from a different age. We love celebrating the character of our buildings but it’s important to not be a slave to history. We want our industry to support and nurture more progressive design. In our minds, it’s fine to reference the past, but building modern replicas of historic looking buildings or details should be avoided at all costs.”
What is the biggest threat to an architect’s creativity?
“We know that it’s not possible to design new and unconventional forms and evolve tried and tested models without taking risks, which is why it’s so important to build trust with your client so that you work creatively together without blowing the budget or jeopardising the project.”
How would you describe the atmosphere of the Archmongers studio?
“We’ve tried to make it as homely as possible and filled it with some of our favourite furniture pieces and physical models of past projects. There is a calm working atmosphere and a lot of natural day light but we also have a break out ‘messy room’ / workshop which can act as an outlet for analogue design.”
What is your favourite project that you’ve worked on and why?
“This is hard to pin down, but our favourite projects tend to be the ones where we have made the biggest impact, for example ’Stego’, a humdrum house which we transformed into something exceptional.”
What would your dream commission be?
“We have built a lot in around London, often on constrained sites, and as a contrast, one dream would be to work on a project that marries landscape and building together. We would really enjoy the design symbiosis between the land and the architecture, whether a house, gallery or even a community centre.”
Discover Archmongers’ full portfolio of works by clicking here.
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