SUPERFICIUM RESEARCH STUDIO

is an architectural research unit that explores design for contemporary cultures and virtual environments through a range of scales and methodology. We are architects and designers who collaborate through interests in science fiction, emerging technology, cultural anthropology, architectural procedural design research, and video games.  We approach each research project according to their distinctive nature, using a range of experimental design tools and methodologies to provide unique design opportunities. Our core research work speculates on future possibilities of architecture at the intersection between technology and culture. Each research projects are design to be able for physical production once advance construction technologies are made available. We are based between London (UK), Kuala Lumpur(MY) and Prague(CZ). 

RESEARCH APPROACH

Our research team, though small, engages in a broad spectrum of disciplines and interests that are fundamental to our thinking, design and the mediums through which we communicate. We are not only architects, we are educators in architectural academia; digital enthusiasts exploring the real time game engine interaction; tech hobbyists who build and optimise our own workstations; animators who construct digital worlds for short films; and designers investigating procedural design from the scale of the body to the scale of the building with a specific interest in the transitions between these scales. Our research manifesto could be summarise based on these four core values:

• Identifying local cultural interest
• Research & understanding of interest subject
• Design experimentation through procedural tools
• Communicate and present speculation  

Our core members have collaborated on numerous projects with a particular focus on experimental and speculative domestic conditions, from floating homes to assemblies of community living spaces and biohacking cellular architectural skins. As a young research team we value the engagement of emerging individuals and have collaborated with young professionals and students on previous research projects. We do this through a shared ambition to reimagine and challenge the future environments we inhabit.

    

SAMUEL ESSES   

Co-founder + Research Director

is an Architect and educator and co-founder of Superficium Studio. In practice, he has worked internationally at Safdie Architects in Boston and as an ARB registered Architect at Grimshaw Architects in London with a focus on transportation infrastructure. He is currently a lecturer at the Bartlett School of Architecture, teaching across undergraduates and masters programmes. His current research investigates a theoretical approach to multi-material integrated architectural design.

JONATHAN WONG   

Co-founder + Research Director

Is a registered ARB practising architect in the United Kingdom. He graduated from the Architectural Association in London, and is an associate at Twelve architects & masterplanners. He is currently leading major projects in the UK and responsible for business development in SEA. He also co-founded superficium studio, a research lab that investigates the relationships between contemporary cultures and architectural conditions. The research led through the initiative has won numerous recognition.

SIMONA SABACKOVA

Research Collaborator 

is a qualified Architect registered with ARB UK and currently works in practice. She graduated from the Czech technical university in Prague, and is very meticuous in technical design works. She has worked on both internationally and domestic projects in the UK, Czech republic, UAE and Dubai.  Her interest lies in exploring humanistic architecture and how space can adapt to different contexts and cultures.

PAST RESEARCH COLLABORATORS

Christopher Yah

José eduardo navarrete

Pallavi Kumar

Ivy Jiang