While architecture and interior design are often framed as distinct disciplines, Chung Yen Woon, Principal Architect of Metre Architects, sees them as one continuous language.
Rather than treating interiors as a separate domain, he approaches them as an inseparable extension of architectural thinking. It is in the interior where space is most intimately felt, and where material, light, and proportion register at a profoundly human scale.
Could you tell our readers about your firm?
I founded Metre Architects in 2018. The name ‘Metre’ refers both to a unit of measurement and to rhythm in poetry, and that duality reflects a tension that deeply interests me. Architecture demands precision and rigor, yet our experience of space is emotional and intuitive. Our work exists somewhere between those two conditions.
I am particularly drawn to the idea that design can uncover extraordinary experiences within ordinary circumstances. Often, the most rewarding projects are not those with the grandest budgets, but those that reveal unexpected possibilities hidden within everyday constraints. Ultimately, our aim is to create spaces that are thoughtful, enduring, and quietly transformative.
Since you view architecture and interior design as a continuous language, what are the fundamental elements that guide your design process?
Regardless of scale, the questions remain remarkably similar: How does a person move through a space? How does light enter and transform it throughout the day? What emotions does it evoke?
I tend to think of design as the choreography of experiences rather than the arrangement of objects. I am interested in the sequence of moments that unfold as someone inhabits a place—the compression and release of space, the framing of views, the play of light and shadow, and the relationship between materials and atmosphere. We approach interiors as opportunities to sculpt space from within, creating environments that feel coherent, immersive, and deeply connected to the lives of the people who use them.
What core design principles do you believe will create spaces that stand the test of time?
Timelessness is a function of depth. The more a design dwells on the surface, the more it is washed away by waves of trend. What endures are not fashions, but fundamentals: proportion, light and shadow, materiality, geometry, and the rituals of everyday life. These are qualities that resonate across cultures and generations because they speak to something universal within us.
A timeless space is one that reveals more with time, ages with grace, and continues to enrich the lives it shelters. In the end, timelessness is not found in appearance, but in meaning.
What is next for Metre Architects?
We are currently working on a series of projects at different scales. These include a comprehensive penthouse revamp in Singapore, shaping the full spatial identity for a new Pilates brand, and the renovation of a conserved heritage shophouse. Across all these projects, what remains consistent is our interest in transformation through precision—whether at the scale of a home, a brand, or a heritage structure.
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