Description
Jan Kattein Architects is a London-based architecture, urban planning, placemaking, developer, etc firm which uses architectural practice and design as a tool for dialogue and exchange, empowering the community. Their projects are small, scrappy, and amazing.
Discussion
I’ve been most obsessed with Blue House Yard (Instagram), a temporary redevelopment of a former carpark including creative work and retail space, a public square for markets and events. Maybe I’m older but to me this is the positive outcome of architecture applied to urban space, not some blobs which leak. The market-scale of their projects is quite evocative.
Points of Inspiration
- I love their line drawings. I’m not a huge fan of the god-eye-view, but it is often a necessary requirement to see the overall scheme. And they imbue this view with joy and life that I instantly want to go to this place.
- Their forms are very basic, and typological, which makes reading the schemes clear and easy.
- I love that they are also investors and developers in their schemes. This shows (to me) that they are true believers, and aren’t designing things which waste client’s money.
All photos and drawings in this post by Jan Kattein Architects. You should hire them.
