Choi + Shine Architects

About :

About Choi+Shine Architects

Choi+Shine is a nationally and internationally awarded architecture and design firm specializing in beautiful, optimistic and thoughtful designs. Offering architectural and interior design services, we work closely with our clients, nurturing a design from inception to completion. Our web portfolio documents some of our projects.

Choi+Shine's architectural works have appeared in museums and galleries world wide, including the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Design Gallery in Dongdaemun Cultural Park in Seoul.

We work with a large variety of clients who all share an interest in great design. From local non-profits to international corporation, we bring fresh thinking to each project, creating unexpected and beautiful spaces.

Our firm combines the architectural, artistic, engineering and academic experience of the firms two principals, Jin Choi who was born in Seoul, South Korea, and Thomas Shine, who was born near Oxford, England. Together their diverse experiences are reflected in the variety of the firm's thoughtful and beautiful designs.

Choi+Shine runs a skunkworks Design Studio for experimental design and projects that are not inherently architectural. Projects from this free-thinking studio vary greatly and include academic exploration, competition entries, book design, ceramics and patented inventions.

Services

Choi+Shine Architects is a full service architecture firm, working with residential clients as well as corporate, institutional, retail and no-profit organizations. Our services include:

	– New Construction – Adaptive Reuse – Renovations – Additions – Design Build	– Master Planning – Site Planning – Interior Design – Graphic Design – Corporate Interiors	– Green Construction – Sustainable Design – Project Management – Historic Preservation – Capital Campaign Support

Principals

Jin Choi, Principal

Ms. Choi received her first Master’s Degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Architectural History and Theory, while running her own successful design firm in Seoul, Korea. She received her second Master’s Degree in architecture from Yale University’s School of Architecture and subsequently worked at Boston’s most prestigious architecture firms before establishing Choi+Shine. She was recently selected as one of Koreas Global Young Architects by the Korean Institute of Architects official journal "Architect". Ms. Choi is an adjunct faculty member at Suffolk University teaching design studio and thesis studio to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Thomas Shine AIA, RIBA Principal

Mr. Shine is a registered architect and received his undergraduate and Master's Degree in architecture from Yale University's School of Architecture. Before studying architecture, he worked as a researcher in London, and later as an engineer at his own firm, developing medical equipment. Mr. Shine was a teaching fellow at Yale, teaching architectural structures to both graduate and undergraduate students. He currently teaches design studio, free hand drawing and digital rendering techniques at Suffolk University.

Design staff

Krystal Cooper, Project Manager

Ms. Cooper received her undergraduate degree from Tulane and holds a MFA in interior design from Suffolk University. Ms. Cooper, who has won several awards for her work, brings considerable architectural experience to our office, having worked at such prestigious firms as Kotter, Kim & Associates and Signer Harris Architects.

James Shih, Designer

Mr. Shih is a native of Taiwan and is currently completing his undergraduate degree in Interior Design at Suffolk University. Mr. Shih has had many years of experience in the design and fashion industry having worked with EDWIN, 5th Street, Calvin Klein and Celio. He most recently worked at Space Design, where he was integral to the design of Zhen Shan Mei (Do Re Mi), a boutique hotel in Guangzhou, China. Mr. Shih is fluent in Cantonese, Chinese, Taiwanese and English.

Chessin Gertler, Designer

Chessin graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies and spent the following academic year enrolled at Nanjing University as a Harvard-Yenching Institute Student Fellow. Prior to receiving his fellowship, Chessin worked in Shanghai, orchestrating the launch of an environmental plan for a Chinese design firm. As an award winning photographer and with a research background in contemporary Chinese architecture and green design, Chessin brings a unique knowledge base to Choi + Shine.

Consultants

Oscar Sanchez, LEED AP, CSI CDT, Consultant Architect

Mr. Sanchez's experiences encompass a broad variety of award winning projects. From designing university dormitories and libraries in New York, to community centers and high schools in small Colorado towns, Mr. Sanchez has the dexterity to be our most valued consultant. Mr. Sanchez is a graduate of Yale College and the Yale School of Architecture. He is a founding member of the secret architect society, Scale and Ruler.

History

Our firm was started in late 2003, with a single commission. Our two principals worked for a variety of architecture firm and both managed their own firms before joining forces. Since starting the firm, it has consistently grown through recommendations and referrals from our former clients, though we are always pleased to meet a new face.

FAQs

Please visit our FAQs page for our musings on architecture and the process of making a building.

Travel

Architecture is best experienced in person, and we travel throughout the world, refreshing our minds and souls.

Employment

If you are interested in working at Choi+Shine, please send your resume along with a cover letter and samples of your work to Sarah Kim at our office.