PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA
PHOTO: DUMEBI MALAIKA MENAKAYA


40 CHAIRS
Boston, 2025
Fashion show and performance scenography for Noa Toyonaga
In collaboration with Paris Bezanis and Celeste Martore
Chairs are scattered betwee Rafael Moneo’s thighs for a performance directed by Noa Toyonaga. A temporary occupation of public space. Confrontation of bodies and gaze; spectator joins the spectacle.

Creative direction: Celeste Martore. Movement direction: Carly Iave. Visual design: Paris Bezanis.







SOMIN YOO is an architectural designer, curator, and artist working across the United States and Switzerland. Their work examines spatial and infrastructural politics. They have practiced at Christ & Gantenbein, Barkow Leibinger, and Neri & Hu. 

Somin is the co-founder of Accessible Objects, a curatorial platform for emerging design. 

Somin holds a BA in Art History from Yale University and is a 2028 MArch I candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where they received the 2025 Araldo Cossutta Prize for Design Excellence.

PROJECTS & EXHIBITIONS


CHANGING ROOM
Basel, 2026
Site-specific architectural intervention
A collaboration between Somin Yoo, Kaito Yamamoto-Ran, Adrián M. Maldonado, Jack Zhang, Oskar Emmrich

LIVING ROOM
Basel, 2026
Exhibition scenography for After Hours
A collaboration between Somin Yoo, Kaito Yamamoto-Ran, Adrián M. Maldonado, Jack Zhang, Oskar Emmrich

AO:05
Basel, 2025
Exhibition scenography and lighting objects
In collaboration with Kaito Yamamoto-Ran

40 CHAIRS
Boston, 2025
Fashion show and performance scenography for Noa Toyonaga
In collaboration with Paris Bezanis and Celeste Martore

2123: NAIVE FUTURES
Brooklyn, 2023
Curation
In collaboration with Chloe Vadot

EDUCATION & AWARDS


HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF DESIGN
Masters of Architecture I
2023 - 2028 (ongoing)

ARALDO COSSUTTA DESIGN EXCELLENCE PRIZE
Harvard Graduate School of Design
2025 recipient

YALE UNIVERSITY
B.A. in Art History (Distinction)
2009 - 2014
Nominated for Andrus Award for Best Thesis in Art History Thesis

CONTACT

somin@sominyoo.com
@sominyoo