At Work With KLNB Architects, Paris

For Keeyong Lee, Nenad Basic, Philippe Stanfield-Pinel, and Benjamin Vigot of Paris-based KLNB architects, 2010 promises to be a busy year as the four young architects look to build on last year’s success.

Lee and Basic started the firm in 2008 out of a small, renovated flat near Gare de l’Est and Stanfield-Pinel and Vigot joined the team shortly thereafter. While all four studied architecture in Paris, it’s the synergy of their different backgrounds that really seem to inform their modern and versatile work. Lee is Korean, Basic is Bosnian, Stanfield-Pinel is French-American, and Vigot is French.

After finishing their studies, Paris seemed the most logical place to launch their new collaboration. “It had to be Paris,” they agreed. While most of the city resembles a “huge block of stone,” they “had a little bit of luck with all the social housing” near the outskirts of the city, admits Stanfield-Pinel. “The city government does actually make an effort” to pick interesting projects, he says.

Basic, who first came to Paris to present a project on Sarajevo, is a bit more critical. “It’s not the easiest” city for a young architect to start a career, he feels. Invitations to architectural competitions around Paris tend to be more “difficult to access,” often favoring established firms over new talent, a claim seconded by Lee.

With those limits in mind, KLNB has focused just about everywhere else. They’ve entered about twenty-three competitions around the world. Their CV includes only one proposal in France, for an Eco-Hotel in Buc near Versailles – a bit of irony not lost on the group. They’ve yet to try their luck in London, a bit “too traditional” for them, or the U.S., which is “still in the postmodern era,” says Stanfield-Pinel.

Whether it’s a proposal in Kuelap, Peru or Poznan, Poland, their designs are always influenced by the surrounding environment. They strive to incorporate the elements and are built with sustainable materials whenever possible. The emphasis on clean, contextual lines is present throughout their portfolio.

For the Dherinia Town Hall in Cyprus, KLNB, in association with Kythreotis Architects, proposed a two-pronged structure with a perforated façade - resembling polished wood reclaimed by termites - which would let the wind and Mediterranean light through. The proposal also called for the building materials to be sourced locally. The team won fourth prize at the design competition in Cyprus for their efforts.

Another highlight is the contemporary, cross-hatched façade of their design entry for the House of Arts and Culture in Beirut which was inspired by the moucharabieh, the lattice-like design ubiquitous in Islamic architecture. Certainly a nod to regional tradition but also a practical structural design that allows more natural light to flow into the building.

KLNB has made the most progress with Namyangju Estate, a high-end apartment complex outside of Seoul, where they beat out a larger American firm in the competition. The design for the thirty-two apartments is spread out over three communal bases.

It makes use of prefabricated concrete to mimic the layout of Versailles, incorporating “old elements in a contemporary way.” The façade of each apartment is composed of slatted wood, which appears to shift as the light changes. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

They’ve made a promising start to 2010 as well. They were recently invited to take part in “La 3eme Dimension” exhibition on February 23rd at the Maison de l’Architecture de Lille, where they will be showing their latest models along with fellow European architects like Julien de Smet and 3XN.

As KLNB continues to gain exposure on the international architecture scene, it seems only a matter of time before they make their mark in Paris.

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by Trafton Kenney
Photo by Arturo Oliva Pedroza
Gloobbi Architecture

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