Michael K Chen Architecture is an architectural firm renowned for its innovative and meticulously crafted designs, catering to clients who seek thoughtful and considered approaches to architecture. MKCA integrates architecture, interior design, and product design through a cohesive, collaborative process. Their work spans a wide range of scales, from individual apartments to single-family homes and even larger-scale buildings. We had the privilege of speaking with Michael K Chen himself, so stay tuned to discover why Michael K Chen Architecture is among the most sought-after firms in the industry today!
CovetED Magazine : Could you share with us the beginning of your journey in the design world? How did your passion for architecture develop?
Michael K Chen : I was one of those kids who was always drawing and building things in my room. I think I decided to become an architect when I was six years old, and it just stuck with me since then.
CovetED Magazine : From what we know, you founded your company in your own apartment back in 2011. What were the main challenges you faced, and what motivated you to take that step?
Michael K Chen : Before founding my company, I had been working on small side projects, initially with a friend and later on my own between stints in various offices and teaching positions. In 2011, I took on a relatively large project that was significant enough to require a team. We started as two people in a sublet office space, then gradually expanded into a shared office, and the practice slowly grew from there. While I've always dreamed of having my own practice, it was the idea of building a team that truly excited me and continues to do so. Creating a diverse team with different interests, backgrounds, and perspectives enriches our work significantly. This has been something I've been passionate about for a long time, and once the opportunity arose, it became about nurturing and sustaining that team within the office. For me, the hardest yet most rewarding aspect of running a practice is learning how to manage and collaborate with people, bringing out the best in everyone, and being strategic about running and resource management—all skills that are rarely taught in architecture school.
CovetED Magazine : How would you describe your signature style?
Michael K Chen : We deliberately avoid any form of visual signature or specific style. However, I would say that much of our work reflects a dedication to craftsmanship, a love for color and materiality, and a sense of playfulness. We enjoy tackling challenging projects and are deeply interested in intricacy. The most rewarding projects are often those with multiple requirements, complexities, and diverse agendas that need to be harmonized and resolved clearly.
CovetED Magazine: How does your creative process begin when you're presented with a new project? Could you walk us through it?
Michael K Chen : Most of our projects are client commissions, so we usually start by asking a lot of questions and listening carefully. We discuss the project's values, concerns, functional needs, and budgetary constraints extensively. Since we work closely with people, we aim to understand both what they need from the project and what they value, and we look for ways to merge these two aspects in an interesting manner. Through this initial process, we often identify potential collaborators. The team, both inside and outside the office, is crucial to any project. We try to identify areas of expertise or experience that could add value to the project and seek out people we'd like to work with—whether they're consultants, artists, other designers, scientists, or other interesting collaborators. We typically work in digital models, so from the very beginning, we create precise models of the space or site. Then, we do what designers do: we iterate, sketch, gather images, and pose problems for ourselves to solve. Over time, the ideas coalesce.
CovetED Magazine: What, in your opinion, is the key to creating something truly unique?
Michael K Chen : Curiosity, active listening, and learning to work effectively with others.
CovetED Magazine : If you had to pick one project that represents your career and life, which would it be, and why?
Michael K Chen : It’s an impossible question! We look for projects that offer opportunities to learn and grow as a practice. Recently, we’ve begun doing more civic and cultural work, which we’d love to explore further. Additionally, my husband and I are currently building a small house in the countryside for ourselves. It’s been an intriguing process—both ambitious and humbling.
CovetED Magazine: What message do you hope to convey to the design world through your beautiful projects?
Michael K Chen : For a while now, our focus has been connecting the work we do to the values we and our clients hold as individuals and as citizens of the world. We recognize that part of our privileged position as designers is to promote a vision of what we consider excellence to be. For us, it’s never been about luxury or the most expensive materials, nor has it ever been about a signature aesthetic. It’s generally about people, their ideas, and their labor. We’ve always been mindful of craftsmanship and how things are made, and we’re trying to pursue that interest in the broadest way possible, connecting it to larger issues. Naturally, we’re looking for ways to challenge ourselves to reduce the waste and energy involved in our work. We’re exploring smaller, more localized supply chains for materials, examining circular and alternative material streams, and using our specification power as designers to address issues like worker rights and the diversity of the construction workforce. This isn’t about simply labeling existing practices and materials but about delving deeper and questioning some of our assumptions about what is beautiful and compelling. It’s also about finding the right partners and collaborators to design and produce the work with.
CovetED Magazine : In your view, what major changes has the pandemic brought to the design world?
Michael K Chen : In my experience, it has certainly amplified our desire and practice around collaboration, as it has completely normalized remote relationships. We’ve had countless conversations and collaborated extensively due to online tools for communication and design during our year of working remotely. The pandemic, along with the concurrent attention on racial justice, has also highlighted many structural inequities we live with and brought into sharp relief a truth: we can either perpetuate these inequities or work to change them. We helped start a nonprofit network of designers called Design Advocates, who provide design services to communities in need during the pandemic, all through tools like Zoom and Miro. It’s one of the best things I’ve been a part of in my career.
CovetED Magazine : We’re excited to hear about what the future holds for the incredible Michael K Chen. What are your next steps?
Michael K Chen : We have several new ground-up buildings in design and construction for the first time, which is very exciting. As an urban practice, we’re accustomed to working at a more interior and constrained scale, and these house projects present a new kind of challenge. We’re also pursuing more work in the public realm, partly through Design Advocates and partly by building on our experience designing complex urban projects for individuals. We have a furniture collection coming out with TRNK later this year that encapsulates many of our ideas about flexible living and the slippage between spaces of living, work, and hospitality, which I’m very excited about. And of course, we’re growing our team, which is always fun and interesting.
“For us, that’s never been about luxury or the most precious materials, nor has it ever been about a signature aesthetic. It’s generally been about people, their ideas, and their labor.†– Michael K Chen
CovetED Magazine : What piece of advice can you give to young professionals today?
Michael K Chen : Mostly that every experience and person encountered in one’s professional life is an opportunity to learn. Many architects and designers (myself included) are wired to focus on their computers and think they have to have all the answers or figure everything out on their own, and this is just not true. Recognizing the limits of one’s knowledge and experience, and leveraging the people around you, can be incredibly empowering and is the fastest way to learn and grow.
What do you think about Michael K Chen's interior designs? Let us know!
SEE ALSO
Exclusive Interview With Amy Lau
//
What do you think? Did you like this article? Follow Covet House on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter, we’re here to give you the best interior design inspiration for your design projects and, never forget, celebrate design with friends as we do!
Luxury Hotel Furniture,Wooden Hotel Furniture,Hotel Style Bed Frame,Wooden 5 Star Hotel Furniture
PinSheng hotel furniture , https://www.pinshotelfurniture.com