1:1

We established our practice in 2006. Over the years we have acquired extensive experience with the following:

• Retail Design
• High- end Residential Design
• Hospitality Design
• Furniture Design

Gene Miao is the chief designer at 1:1.

Gene graduated from The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).

Prior to setting up 1:1, Gene worked for a number of notable architectural firms in the U.S. including Office dA (now NADAA); and Kohn Pedersen Fox  (KPF in New York) . 

What is 1:1?

As an architecture student one had to rely on scaled drawings and models to represent his/ her ideas. Scaled representations are typically expressed in a ratio. For example a Site Plan at 1:500 scale; Building Plans, Elevations and Sections at 1:50 scale; Detail Drawings at 1:5 scale. As the second number gets smaller, the larger and closer that particular representation would be to the actual size.

As architectural and design practitioners, we savor the opportunity when working at 1:1 scale (or full scale). This might happen in two types of instances:

•   When a particular section of a project is built as a full scale mock- up. These investigative tools are extremely useful, as full scale mock- ups provide penetrating insight of any given project. 

•   When a project, regardless of whether it is a building, an interior space, a piece of furniture, is brought to life in its built form. This is a celebratory moment for us when we are able to complete a project from initial conception, to analytical testing, and finally to material realization.