Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof chat to AT about their studio’s global outlook, launching an exhibition at the Barbican and setting up shop in London.

Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof. Photograph by Simona Modra.

What are you up to at the moment?
Michal Kristof The major news is that we are opening our first global office in central London this month. We’ve published our first monograph, and we are about to host our first solo exhibition event at the Barbican. So, it’s a month of firsts for us. Ondrej and I founded CHYBIK + KRISTOF 14 years ago, so after over a decade in action, all these firsts feel grand indeed! The momentum is exciting.

In terms of projects, we are currently working on a large brownfield residential revitalisation project in Prague. It’s a former working-class neighbourhood and a brewery site, which is an important detail when considering that the Czech Republic is the land of the original Pilsner. We are working closely with the client and CMC studio to preserve the unique character of Nusle Brewery’s rich heritage by retaining various elements, such as the articulation of the façades, the depth of the surfaces and the tower design, which is reminiscent of the character of chimneys. The choice of materials and attention to detail in the new buildings also reflect the historical context, allowing a harmonious blend of past and present within a modern architectural design. It’s all coming together to create authentic and vibrant new public spaces for the neighbourhood. It’s a good example of the work we like doing at CHYBIK + KRISTOF.

What made you decide to set up an office in London?
Ondrej Chybik We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with outstanding clients across Europe, crafting memorable projects in iconic European cities like Milan, Berlin, Krakow and Vienna. Recently, our sights have been set further afield, leading us to embrace the challenge of larger, more complex projects in globalising cities like Tirana and New York. Setting up shop in London came to us naturally. In our past projects, we often sought out leading experts and the best consultants in areas such as structural concepts and environmental principles. Many of our foreign partners are based in London. We realised that London is not only home to these top consultants but also houses prestigious architecture schools, cultural institutions, open-minded local authorities, influential media, and the most ambitious clients. Crafting something full of character, something timeless, almost necessitates being in London to achieve it. Here in London, back home, or anywhere the future might take us, we’re here to make a difference. Let’s see what this new chapter brings!

Crafting Character. Photograph by Eda Babak.

Can you tell us about your book?
Ondrej Chybik Our first monograph ‘Crafting Character’ was published in collaboration with FRAME, to celebrate 14 years of the studio. It highlights 14 of our favourite projects, how we craft character, and what that means for us. The chapters showcase the kind of work we do: adaptive reuse and retrofit, modularity, self-initiation, architecture for the public good and materiality.

The title ‘Crafting Character’ is a unique and special concept for us, it captures the heart of what we do, our values and our ambitions. We find it meaningful that we use the word ‘character’ for both people and buildings. Cinema and architecture often collide in our work; the way we see places play out in public life, and the way we hope our buildings perform and speak for themselves, in lots of ways. We want our work to tell stories. Stories unite people, they build belonging, identity, and community. Beyond concepts though, ‘crafting’ also nods to our team’s hands-on engaged approach to client briefs and social contexts. For us, to craft implies establishing a malleability over time that embodies our design process, and that is spatial, tangible, and shaped by skill and work; whether that’s our research work or working with the client or the community.

What are the key differences between the architectural scenes in the Czech Republic and the UK?
Michal Kristof The UK and Czech scene are similar in many ways. The UK’s built environment is marked by a diverse range of styles and a strong emphasis on sustainability and urban regeneration, as seen in London’s mixed-use developments and innovative construction methods like modular construction. In the Czech Republic, modern design often blends with the country’s rich historical context, focusing on the adaptive reuse of historic buildings and their sustainable development. However, conservation regulations and limited space influence architectural interventions. Besides this tension between preservation and development, we are also facing housing affordability issues and transportation infrastructure deficiencies.

What can Chybik + Kristof contribute to the London architecture scene?
Ondrej Chybik We bring a uniquely European perspective back to the UK. Despite the UK’s official ebbing and flowing on this with the likes of Brexit, there is always a drive for multiculturalism, excellence, unity, and collaboration — principles we were raised on too. Central to our ethos and identity at CH+K, is our history in community-building for the better; a history rooted in revolution, such as the peaceful Velvet Revolution of 1989. Our parents fought for the democratic society we grew up in, and we are the generation that has shaped it. We were the first generation after 40 years of isolation to be able to travel freely, push boundaries and study abroad. There is something very unique and special about this offering of ‘Czech Architecture’.

We’re dedicated to crafting our projects with a keen sense of their environment — socially, historically, and architecturally speaking, tailoring our approach to the unique narrative of each site. Context then, context now, context next. We’re building for the context 200 years in the future. This is our generation’s responsibility, and we live by that.