The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
In less than two decades, South Korean-born Je Ahn has become British, qualified as an architect and set up his own socially conscious design practice. Ahn moved to the UK when he was 13, attended school in West Sussex and studied at the University of Bath, TU Delft in the Netherlands and London Metropolitan University before setting up the now well-known Studio Weave in 2006 with Maria Smith (now of Buro Happold).
The practice began by working on installations, artworks and street furniture but has grown into delivering strategic placemaking visions, masterplans, mixed-use residential proposals and educational projects. In 2018 the studio won numerous awards for its ‘playful’ timber-framed classrooms for Belvue School in Northolt, west London. With its ‘joyful, open-minded approach’, the Hackney-based studio’s workload remains heavily focused on helping communities, driving social sustainability, delivering challenging ‘bottom-up’ projects and pioneering new ways of co-design and engagement.
Source:© Jim Stephenson 2018
Belvue Woodland Classrooms by Studio Weave
In October this year the practice landed arguably its highest-profile scheme to date, the overhaul of London’s Finsbury Circus in collaboration with Architecture 00 and ReardonSmith Landscape.
Yet the 37-year old can still remember being inspired by the architects featured in the AJ’s last 40 Under 40 issue as he worked on Studio Weave’s first project 15 years ago. He says: ‘[I hope I can] provide similar inspiration to those starting their own journey.’
Milestones
2006 Co-founds Studio Weave 2010 Wraps taken off 324m-long bench made of reclaimed tropical hardwood on the seafront at Littlehampton
2011 Creates floating cinema on narrow boat which toured the waterways of the five Olympic host boroughs
2015 Studio Weave joins forces with partner company Architecture 00. Builds zinc-covered Midden Studio on Scotland’s west coast
2017 Completes multi-award-winning woodland classrooms for Belvue School, Northolt, west London
2018 Builds timber viewing tower shaped like a terraced house in Greenwich. Launches publication Living Closer: The Many Faces of co-housing, supported by the RIBA Research Fund
2020 In collaboration with Architecture 00 wins City of London Corporation’s competition to rehabilitate Finsbury Circus gardens and pavilion
Studio Weave and Architecture 00 join forces
Studio Weave and Architecture 00 win Camden Highline job
Architecture00 + Studio Weave win Finsbury Circus contest
AJ 40 under 40 in association with
