Warehouses have long attracted artists and creative types looking for enough space to think and work without having to break the bank. Similar to the evolution of Brooklyn and Shoreditch, industrial areas such as Chai Wan have become enclaves filled with galleries and studios, one of the most notable being Latitude 22N. The company was co-founded by Julie Progin and Jesse McLin somewhat serendipitously – they created a range of porcelain wares for their wedding, which became the brand’s first collection. After generating enough interest, they moved into a lofty spot in Chai Wan not just for the space, but also for the support structure. We knew of the area through designers and artists that had set up their own practice there, and felt that it was the ideal neighbourhood to move into – it had large industrial spaces, was convenient to get to, had many small local shops to work with and, most importantly, had a great creative community, says Julie.
A bounty of light characterises their studio, largely because of the way it was designed. Julie explains, We didn’t want to divide the space into small rooms that would quickly get cluttered, so we kept the plan very open. Versatility defines their studio, which has distinct areas including a gallery to display their work and that of fellow artists, a showroom, a kitchen and, of course, a ceramic studio. Save for the ceramic studio that houses the kilns – smartly separated to prevent ceramic dust from spreading – each area flows into the other and is delineated only by French window dividers that can be closed for privacy.
Latitude 22N’s studio is in constant evolution, not just because it’s dotted by works in progress but also by design. Apart from the flexible layout, the couple mounted most of the furniture on wheels so that they would have the liberty of easily moving things around. We change the floor plan every three or four months depending on what we’re showcasing, collections we want to highlight, or to test new prototypes. It’s refreshing and stimulating to have a new perspective on our work every so often, says Julie. latitude22n.com
Q&A WITH JULIE PROGIN AND JESSE MCLIN
How do you start your workday? We generally wake up at 7, prepare for the day and answer all of our emails before getting into the studio. We fire our kilns overnight, so the first thing we do when stepping in the studio is to check on them, make sure nothing went wrong. And if they’re cool enough, we get the thrill of opening them to find out how our pieces turned out.
Are you early or late-night people? One of us is an early riser and the other a late-night bird. Our morning is driven by hard work that requires a lot of focus, while mid-afternoons to late nights are generally spent unwinding in the studio, experimenting on prototypes or discoursing about our future projects.
Coffee or tea? Coffee with a dash of milk and a spoonful of sugar makes our world go round.
Creative chaos or everything in its place? Both – the studio is creative chaos and the showroom-slash-gallery space is orchestrated with Julie’s Swiss precision.
What do you love most about your studio? We can reinvent the space endlessly depending on what we’re working on. It’s stimulating to have a range of working environments.
Tell us about a special piece that’s on your workspace. Our workspace is swamped with mock-ups of new ideas. Each piece has a distinctive character that makes it special.
Favourite area of the office? The studio, as we can be discussing a new idea and just go ahead and prototype it instantly to see how it looks and functions. It’s a designer’s dream.
What are the pros and cons of working in Chai Wan? There’s no drawback to working in Chai Wan. It’s a lively neighbourhood, full of contrast, and we are lucky to be surrounded and supported by an amazing creative community.
Design movement you’re really interested in at the moment? Lately we’ve been really fascinated with the work of British silversmith David Clarke and British ceramic artist Edmund de Waal.
Future project you’re excited about? We’re investigating, researching and experimenting for our next Julie & Jesse projects that will take us back to our beloved studio in Jingdezhen, China. We haven’t been there in a while, so we’re really excited.
Styling Katie Baxter
Photography Egill Bjarki
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