Boston architects behind the ‘Lawn on D’ swings excel at pushing boundaries
Porcupine-inspired dresses, solar-powered swing sets, and an interactive grid of fiber optics are just a few projects proving Höweler + Yoon Architecture creates more than just amazing homes.
Boston-based architects Eric Höweler and partner J. Meejin Yoon of Höweler + Yoon Architecture (HYA) are up for anything, as long as it’s not boring.
“We are not prejudiced,’’ Höweler said. “We’re equal opportunity, whether it’s for a developer, or a homeowner, or an institution, or nonprofit. We like to say we are open to new things, but we hate repeating ourselves.’’
That attitude has at time brought the duo to the outer reaches of what one might consider “architecture.’’
Recent standout designs include a “defensible dress’’ – a porcupine-inspired outfit that comes with a micro controller to make its quills stand up when someone approaches – and “Swing Time,’’ an interactive solar-powered swing-set for The Lawn on D, the first outdoor interactive space of its kind to come to Boston.
The “defensible dress’’:
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“Those are extreme examples of how we hope to expand the definition of architecture,’’ Höweler, an assistant professor of architecture at Harvard University, said. “We also do buildings and not all buildings are interactive, but we like to say ours raise thoughtful issues.’’
HYA often incorporates environmental awareness into their designs. The firm is currently designing a 500-unit development in Somerville’s Union Square that will feature some micro-units to create high-density living, reducing energy consumption.
Other residential projects have addressed issues like aging in place and multiculturalism, Höweler said. When a Korean-American family approached the firm asking for a house they could retire in with their children’s families, HYA built “The Bridge House,’’ a single-family home in Virginia that contains three houses in one for multigenerational living.
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Here are some homes by Höweler + Yoon Architecture:
Höweler said HYA is very hands-on with clients, often becoming good friends and meeting with them in person once a week.
“Sometimes they think they have it all figured out,’’ he said. “But architecture is a process, not a project. When you work with someone for six months, you find a better design together.’’
What inspires the architects?
“Constraint,’’ Yoon said.
Whether they’re on a tight budget, a quick schedule, or facing strict zoning regulations, Yoon said constraint forces a rare kind of invention. She is currently the head of MIT’s Department of Architecture.
“All our projects take a constraint and try to make something unusual and special about it,’’ she said. When a Boston couple wanted to bring light into their Chinatown penthouse, HYA created an indoor courtyard for them.
“It’s hard to live in an urban environment without access to outdoor space,’’ Yoon said. “So we created an indoor courtyard where it rained and snowed.’’
One of their other favorite projects was a single-family home they designed in China. The owner wanted a traditional sloped roof, which the firm had never attempted before. “We are constantly asked to repeat things, and we always say, ‘Well, let’s look together and find something new,’’’ Höweler said. “We are always looking for challenges.’’
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