045: Atelier Cho Thompson: Ming Thompson and Christina Cho Yoo on Diverse Strengths and Great Design
On today’s episode of Architectette we are joined by Ming Thompson and Christina Cho Yoo, the founders of Atelier Cho Thompson (ACT), a New Haven and San Francisco based multidisciplinary practice working between architecture, interiors, graphics, and strategy.
ACT's work frequently blurs the boundaries between typologies, as they draw inspiration from their work in schools, museums, offices, restaurants, and homes around the world. The firm has been awarded numerous national and regional design honors and has been featured in Metropolis, Architect Magazine, Interior Design Magazine, and at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
We talk about:
- The origin story of ACT and how Ming and Christina were inspired by a Parking Day collaboration to start their own firm to pursue projects that complemented their diverse sets of skills and passions.
- Entrepreneurship and Motherhood: Ming and Christina talk about establishing a business while growing their families and how even though they themselves didn’t take maternity leave, we talk about how each founder works hard to make sure their employees are able to do so.
- The catalyst for expanding their San Francisco practice with an office in New Haven, CT. We talk about virtual collaboration, expanding in a new market, and how the firm was well-prepared for the hybrid shift that caught so many businesses off guard during the pandemic.
- We end by discussing Ming and Christina’s work to advance women and the AAPI community, their favorite projects, impactful pro bono work, public art installations, and how the firm has established and expanded their reputation for gorgeous, design-rich spaces
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Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay.