Hem New York Studio Opening

Photography: Brian Ferry

Our new home in Soho will showcase the brand’s collections in a creative setting alongside a site-specific sculptural installation by Brooklyn-based designers Chen & Kai.

 
We have now opened our first permanent location on the East Coast in a 2,500 square-foot historic loft in the heart of New York’s Soho neighborhood at 460 Broome Street. Designed by our in-house team, this is our second permanent outpost in the U.S., following the opening of its Los Angeles showroom last year.

The new studio embraces this ethos by moving away from the traditional showroom model and establishing a creative, domestic setting where by-appointment visitors can experience the collections firsthand and easily purchase products on-site for same-week delivery.

Envisioned as a dynamic hub for the city’s creative community, the New York Studio will feature a rotating installation of beloved Hem classics, such as the Kumo Sofa, Last Stool, Alle Tables, Touchwood and Udon chairs, and the Alphabeta pendants. Recently-launched pieces, including the Max Lamb Max Table and Bench and Jenny Nordberg’s Powder Vases, will also make their U.S. debut. Laid out in a series of domestic vignettes, the Studio’s loft space is designed to be flexible. Easily reconfigured to accommodate workshops, panels, and other programming, the Hem Studio will serve as a vibrant nexus for New York’s creatives.

In illustration of our experimental spirit and its commitment to collaborating with emerging designers around the world, the brand has commissioned the Brooklyn-based design duo Chen Chen & Kai Williams to create a site-specific sculptural installation that will greet visitors at the entrance to the new Studio. Working with Chen & Kai for the New York space continues the tradition of introducing bespoke art pieces to our physical locations around the world. 

Embracing the quintessentially-high ceilings of the Soho space, Chen & Kai’s piece stands nearly 10 feet tall and comprises of 20 mirrored panels. Each individual panel is created by pouring a thin layer of silver nitrate over a pane of glass, leaving the silver’s raw edges visible on the clear surface. The panels are then assorted on a tall, easel-like steel structure, creating a multi-dimensional grid of semi-opaque mirrors, which can be angled to alter the reflection being captured and shift as one moves around the piece. Emblematic of Chen & Kai’s conceptual and experimental approach, the resulting piece appears both delicate and industrial, like a deconstructed skyscraper. 

“New York has been our single most important market since Hem’s inception. It is a city filled with creativity and entrepreneurial ambitions and home to many architects and designers we admire. While it took some time to find the perfect space, Soho was always a must for us, as one of the most walkable and visually striking parts of the city, and center for so much of its design and creative leaders. We’re thrilled to make it our home in New York.” said Petrus Palmér, CEO and Founder of Hem.