New York‘s beloved Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) arrives in Seoul with the opening of its first-ever bookstore. Residents and visitors in the Korean city will find the new space in the Dosan Park area of Gangnam, the fast-growing and now-iconic neighborhood south of the Han River.

The bookstore has been opened together with Hyundai Card — the credit card company under Seoul’s Hyundai Motor Group which has partnered with the New York museum for nearly twenty years.

Inside, a selection of over 1,100 volumes across more than 200 titles includes MoMA-published exhibition catalogues and books on art, design, and architecture. Beyond its books, the store displays a curated array of objects from the MoMA Design Store (meanwhile, the flagship Design Store in New York is set to reopen following renovations later this fall).

MoMA opens its first bookstore in Seoul’s Dosan Park district | images courtesy MoMA

design shop and bookstore rendered with contrasting interiors

From the sidewalk, Seoul’s new MoMA Bookstore shows a dramatic contrast between its austere facade and warm-toned interiors beyond. The corrugated white facade, softly illuminated at night, frames a large display window where bright shelving punctuates the orange and yellow spaces. With its graphic logic, the place reads as both retail and gallery, a hint at its design-minded selection.

Inside, the layout unfolds as a series of distinct zones. The main book hall is finished in pale grey with polished concrete floors and floating metal shelves. This way, the colorful covers of MoMA publications become the focal point. The design store in the next room brings a bold shift in atmosphere, where walls and floors rendered in glossy yellow and orange create an immersive glow around the curated objects and apparel.

The threshold between these two rooms is a sharp frame which exaggerates the transition from thoughtful browsing to vibrant retail.

more than 200 titles are displayed with MoMA publications and design objects

a vibrant yellow and orange retail space contrasts the calm, grey main hall

the sharply framed threshold between the two rooms exaggerates their contrasting atmospheres

the project reflects nearly twenty years of collaboration between Hyundai Card and MoMA

project info:

name: MoMA Bookstore Seoul

collaborator: Hyundai Card

address: 8-10 Dosan-daero 45-gil Gangnam District, Seoul South Korea

photography: courtesy Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

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Gentle Monster’s parent company, IICOMBINED, launches Haus Nowhere Seoul in Korea, marking the first architectural chapter of its long-term Future Retail vision. Conceived as ‘a space found nowhere,’ the venue merges art, design, and commerce into an experimental environment. Inside its multi-story building, visitors encounter Max Siedentopf’s More Is More, a surreal landscape of swelling plastic bags animated by a hyperreal elderly man; Sunshine, a monumental dachshund who drifts between fairytale scenes and futuristic transformations; and Nudake Teahouse, a kinetic, color-saturated lounge that transforms the ritual of tea into a sensory performance. Together with immersive brand spaces, from Gentle Monster’s monumental mechanical forms to Tamburins’ interactive perfume narratives, Haus Nowhere Seoul establishes a platform for exploration and discovery.

images via @hausnowhere, unless stated otherwise

art installations animate the retail environment

At the heart of the store’s opening on September 6th, 2025, Siedentopf’s More Is More features hundreds of black rubbish bags inflating and deflating in slow rhythm. Amid this swelling sea stands a towering animatronic figure of an elderly man, his eyes wandering curiously as he clutches a single golden bag. The work, presented simultaneously in Seoul, Shanghai, and Shenzhen locations of Haus Nowhere, reflects on value, discovery, and the overlooked moments of wonder hidden in everyday life.

Equally striking is Sunshine, a giant dachshund whose presence threads through multiple levels of Haus Nowhere Seoul. Introduced by Tamburins, the character first appears in a whimsical scene of afternoon slumber, rendered with tender details, dewy nose, soft paws, and gentle breaths, before re-emerging in a parallel universe clad in shining armor, recast as a futuristic warrior. Visitors can step into Sunshine’s world through an AI-powered Twin Look photo booth, where the dachshund mirrors their appearance in playful sticker-like portraits. 

Gentle Monster’s parent company, IICOMBINED, launches Haus Nowhere Seoul

Kinetic objects guide visitors inside Nudake Teahouse

Nudake Teahouse, located on the fifth floor of Haus Nowhere Seoul, transforms traditional tea drinking into a multi-sensory encounter. Kinetic objects appear to drift through the space, guiding visitors through an otherworldly environment rich in color contrasts, from yellow-green and deep purple to warm reds. The teahouse offers a refined lounge for pairing scented teas with desserts, alongside a curated gift shop that presents tea-inspired objects. By combining visual spectacle, scent, and taste, Nudake creates a temporal pause, expanding a familiar ritual into a surreal, immersive experience.

The multi-level building also hosts Gentle Monster’s 2025 Bold Collection, displayed within monumental mechanical structures that evoke speed and dynamism, and ATiiSSU’s second store, presenting its Tracker headwear line inspired by exploration. Nuflaat merges dining and design through sculptural tableware, offering a rhythm of objects both unfamiliar and refined.

By assembling installations, brand flagships, and experimental environments under one roof, Haus Nowhere Seoul positions itself as an open-ended cultural platform, part gallery, part store, and part dreamworld, where art and commerce fold into one another. 

the first architectural chapter of the company’s long-term Future Retail vision | image courtesy of Tamburins

conceived as ‘a space found nowhere’

the venue merges art, design, and commerce 

the character first appears in a whimsical scene of afternoon slumber

Tamburins’ interactive perfume narratives | image courtesy of Tamburins

Sunshine, a giant dachshund whose narrative threads through multiple levels of Haus Nowhere Seoul

More Is More features hundreds of black rubbish bags inflating and deflating | image courtesy of Max Siedentopf

Nudake Teahouse is located on the fifth floor of Haus Nowhere Seoul | image courtesy of Nudake

transforms traditional tea drinking into a multi-sensory encounter | image courtesy of Nudake

kinetic objects appear to drift through the space | image courtesy of Nudake

an otherworldly environment rich in color contrasts | image courtesy of Nudake

project info:

name: HAUS NOWHERE SEOUL | @hausnowhere

location: 433, Ttukseom-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea

client/owner: IICOMBINED, Gentle Monster | @gentlemonster

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Located in Gusan-dong, Seoul, at the corner of a three-way intersection, One House 2 by DRAWING WORKS explores how small-scale residential design can adapt existing structures to contemporary living. The project continues the studio’s investigation into one-person housing, following an earlier project in Yeongdong that featured a similar dwelling set within a natural landscape. This second iteration situates the concept within the dense environment of the city.

The house is composed of two floors, each measuring approximately 21 sqm. The compact plan emphasizes clear circulation and efficient use of space. The remodeling included demolishing an external staircase to introduce a new parking area and ground-level entrance. A steel frame ensures stability and creates flexibility in the reconfigured layout. Inside, the arrangement connects the parking, entrance, kitchen, and staircase in a straightforward sequence that extends upward toward the living areas. On the second floor, the relationship between the room, terrace, and rooftop provides varied spatial experiences within the compact volume.

all images by Yoon Joonhwan

Small-Scale Architecture Meets Urban Context in One House 2

The design addresses environmental performance through careful window placement. South-facing openings maximize daylight, while north-facing windows are minimized to reduce energy loss. These decisions balance comfort with efficiency in a small-scale footprint. Externally, the house responds to its exposed location on three sides. Rather than asserting scale, the design adopts a restrained presence that blends into its surroundings. Corrugated steel cladding defines the facade, chosen for durability and economy. By layering three different off-the-shelf patterns, the elevation achieves depth and variation without additional ornamentation. This material strategy demonstrates how modest interventions can enrich the dialogue between a building and its urban context.

Through its compact yet adaptable design, One House 2 by studio DRAWING WORKS redefines the potential of small-scale architecture in dense urban conditions. The project illustrates how careful planning, material economy, and subtle reconfiguration can produce a residence that is both efficient and responsive, contributing to broader discussions on the future of urban housing.

One House 2 by DRAWING WORKS is located at a three-way intersection in Gusan-dong, Seoul

the project adapts an existing structure for contemporary one-person urban living

the house maintains a restrained presence despite being exposed on three sides

corrugated steel cladding defines the exterior facade for durability and economy

three layered steel patterns add depth and rhythmic variation to the elevation

the facade avoids ornamentation, focusing on material texture and pattern

the project shows how minimal redesign can enhance urban single-person housing

south-facing windows maximize natural daylight throughout the house

north-facing openings are minimized to improve energy efficiency

a steel frame provides structural stability and flexibility within the compact layout

the external staircase was removed to create a new parking area and entrance

compact interior spaces are organized for maximum functional efficiency

project info:

name: One House 2
architect: DRAWING WORKS | @drawingworks_architects

principal architect: Youngbae Kim

location: Seoul, Korea

photographer: Yoon Joonhwan | @yoon_joonhwan

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Frieze expands its presence in Asia with the launch of Frieze House Seoul, a permanent exhibition space in Yaksu-dong, designed to operate year-round and complement the city’s flourishing contemporary art scene. Samuso Hyoja renovates the 1988 residential building, which is set to host gallery residencies, curated exhibitions, and special projects, creating opportunities for collaboration between local and international artists. A permanent site-specific installation by SANAA activates the landscaped garden, where aluminum and stainless steel seats collect rainwater and mirror the contours of the house and surrounding greenery.

Its debut exhibition, UnHouse, curated by Jae Seok Kim, reinterprets the concept of home through queer perspectives, occupying every corner of the multi-room house to explore identity, power, care, and memory.

all images by Sunghoon Park

permanent site-specific installation by sanaa anchors the garden

The house itself, renovated by Seoul-based studio Samuso Hyoja with project management by multidisciplinary creative collective Our Labour, maintains traces of its original Western-style construction, including tiled glass windows, exposed beams, staircases, and textured stone walls. Skylights, glass panels, and a tactile rounded stone cladding meet warm wooden floors and lush landscaping, showing how contemporary elements coexist with the home styles of 1980s Korea. The landscaped garden features a permanent site-specific installation by Japanese architects SANAA, part of their ongoing exploration of form and function, with aluminum and stainless steel seats that collect rainwater and extend into floral motifs.

Frieze launches a permanent exhibition space in Yaksu-dong, Seoul

UnHouse Transforms Rooms into Sites of Experimentation

UnHouse activates these architectural features, transforming rooms, corridors, and stairwells into immersive environments. Works by both emerging Korean and internationally recognized artists, including Anne Imhof, Catherine Opie, Haneyl Choi, Lee Dong-hyun, and Joeun Kim Aatchim, interrogate the home as both a site of imposed norms and a space for refuge and experimentation. The exhibition challenges visitors to navigate domestic space in new ways by positioning artworks as hosts, strangers, or spectral presences, foregrounding the political and personal dimensions of intimacy.

Frieze House Seoul follows the model of No.9 Cork Street in London, providing an ongoing stage for exhibitions outside the constraints of a fair calendar. 

a permanent site-specific installation by SANAA activates the landscaped garden

aluminum and stainless steel seats collect rainwater

mirroring the contours of the house and surrounding greenery

the seats extend into floral motifs

the house maintains traces of its original Western-style construction

skylights, glass panels, and a tactile rounded stone cladding meet warm wooden floors

Frieze House Seoul is renovated by Samuso Hyoja with project management by Our Labour

set to host gallery residencies, curated exhibitions, and special projects

UnHouse, its debut exhibition, activates these architectural features

contemporary elements coexist with the home styles of 1980s Korea

project info:

name: Frieze House Seoul | @friezeofficial

renovation architect: Samuso Hyoja 

location: Yaksu-dong, Seoul, South Korea

collaborators: Our Labour | @our_labour (project management), SANAA | @sanaa_jimusho (permanent garden installation)

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The Seoul Museum of Art presents ‘Ernesto Neto: Ba Ka Ba, a Dance of the Eternal Polarities,’ a new site-specific installation by the Brazilian artist that transforms the Korean museum’s Seosomun Main Branch lobby into a sensory environment. Commissioned as part of the 2025 SeMA Public Space Project, the woven artwork expands Ernesto Neto‘s longstanding interest in the relationships between body, space, and collective experience.

Ernesto Neto portrait | images courtesy SeMA, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery

sema suspends colossal crocheted artworks

Ernesto Neto’s installation at the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) is composed of expansive crochet structures woven from industrial cotton fabrics in shades of brown and pink. These colors, chosen to evoke tree trunks and night alongside flowers and day, establish a dialogue between natural rhythms and architectural structure. Suspended and filled with dried guava leaves and locally sourced tea leaves, the artist‘s forms invite a multi-sensory encounter that engages smell both texture together.

By occupying the museum’s lobby and adjacent open spaces, the work introduces an organic intervention into the building’s otherwise linear architecture. The flowing crochet forms generate a cyclical sense of space, suggesting continuity and transformation rather than fixed boundaries. Visitors move through and around the installation, encountering shifting relations between center and periphery, interior and exterior.

Ernesto Neto presents ‘Ba Ka Ba, a Dance of the Eternal Polarities’ at the Seoul Museum of Art

the installation’s onomatopoeic title

The title ‘Ba Ka Ba’ functions as an onomatopoeic expression, its mirrored syllables referencing cycles and flows. This rhythm extends into the work’s conceptual framework: polarities such as body and space, sensation and thought, or self and other are not held apart but brought into dialogue. For Neto, these intersections remain central to his practice, recalling his ties to the Brazilian Neo-Concrete movement of the late 1950s and 1960s, which emphasized participation, sensation, and subjective experience.

These ideas are reimagined within Seoul’s contemporary urban context. The installation offers an open environment where visitors become part of the work itself and embody a condition of exchange and interrelation. The sensory components extend beyond the visual to affirm art’s role in daily life.

the installation fills the Seosomun Main Branch lobby with crochet structures

the work is filled with dried guava leaves and locally sourced tea leaves

brown and pink industrial cotton fabrics evoke tree trunks night flowers and day

the crocheted forms bring an organic intervention to the museum’s linear architecture

project info:

name: Ernesto Neto: Ba Ka Ba, a Dance of the Eternal Polarities (Ba Ka Ba, uma dança das eternas polaridades)

artist: Ernesto Neto | @ernestonetoarte

museum: Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA)

location: 61, Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea

photography: © SeMA

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A team of South Korean designers transforms discarded eggshells into Re:shell, a biodegradable building material

designed as a series of modular, interlocking brick-like elements. Conceived to combat the nation’s rising construction waste, the project utilizes the natural properties of eggshells to create a zero-waste composite with applications ranging from small products to large-scale architecture. The blocks safely return to nature at the end of its life cycle, serving as a sustainable solution to a pressing urban problem in South Korea.

all images courtesy of Re:shell

TACKLING SOUTH KOREA’S CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT

The project began as a response to South Korea’s rapid industrialization and urbanization, shaped by large-scale construction from the 1970s and 80s. As many of these aging structures are slated for redevelopment, the nation faces a significant waste management challenge, with construction materials accounting for 45% of the nation’s total waste. The design team, part of the Living Design Lab at Seoul National University – Department of Design, addresses this issue by merging traditional Korean architectural philosophy with a new material science.

Re:shell uses discarded eggshells to create modular, biodegradable building bricks

LOCAL WASTE TURNS INTO MODULAR BIODEGRADABLE BRICKS

The team chose eggshells as the core material for their abundance and ease of collection from local bakeries and restaurants. Crucially, the main component of an eggshell is calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), a key ingredient in cement that provides strong binding and hardening qualities. The production process involves washing, drying, and grinding the shells into a fine powder, which is then combined with natural additives to enhance its properties. The team experimented with red clay for improved durability, wheat bran for a smoother texture, and straw for greater flexibility and lighter weight. The material demonstrated exceptional hardness in strength tests and showed clear signs of natural decomposition when buried in soil, ensuring zero residual waste.

Inspired by a design philosophy rooted in the unity of nature and human, the team created prototypes for various scales. Echoing Korean traditions like the portable soban table and adaptable room layouts, the Re:shell composite offers a versatile and scalable application range, from small-scale products and interior partitions to exterior facades. The team’s future goals include developing waterproofing while maintaining 100% biodegradability and exploring its potential as a structural building material.

applications range from small products to large-scale architecture

with the natural properties of eggshells the South Korean team creates a zero-waste composite

the biodegradable building material is designed as a series of modular, interlocking brick-like elements

the eggshells can be easily sourced from local bakeries and restaurants

the material showed exceptional hardness and a clear capacity for natural decomposition, ensuring zero waste

project info:

name: Re:shell
institution: Living Design Lab at Seoul National University – Department of Design | @livingdesignlab.snu
design team: SungYun Jang, SuYang Choi, Hwi Song, SeongHa Lim, YoungYun Cho
material: eggshells

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lisa kostyra | designboom

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Located on the southern edge of Susongmot Lake in Daegu, South Korea, a public toilet facility dating back to the 1990s has been renovated by Daniel Valle Architects to meet current functional and environmental standards. The project redefines the relationship between built form and its natural surroundings through structural adaptation and material choice.

The renovation prioritizes openness, daylight access, and integration with the landscape. Several original concrete and stone walls were removed, allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the interior. In their place, a new double-layer timber facade was introduced. Comprising 450 vertical studs set at alternating inclinations, the facade allows light to enter while maintaining visual privacy.

all images courtesy of Daniel Valle Architects

Daegu Public Toilet adapts to seasonal changes in the landscape

The design team at Daniel Valle Architects develops the timber structure to support ecological interaction over time. Climbing plants are expected to gradually grow over the facade, visually embedding the building into its setting. Bird nests have been incorporated between selected studs, enabling the structure to function as a small-scale habitat in addition to its public utility role.

This combination of material strategy, ecological accommodation, and spatial reconfiguration transforms a utilitarian facility into an adaptable element of the lake’s public infrastructure, responsive to both seasonal change and long-term environmental growth.

Daniel Valle Architects updates a 1990s public toilet facility in Daegu

a redefined relationship between architecture and landscape

concrete and stone walls removed to improve openness

double-layer timber facade replaces solid walls

450 vertical studs arranged at alternating inclinations

bird nests built into the timber studs

timber structure supports ecological integration over time

natural light now reaches deep into the interior spaces

architecture adapts to seasonal changes in the landscape

public toilet renovation on the southern edge of Susongmot Lake

project info:

name: Daegu Public Toilet Renovation
architect: Daniel Valle Architects | @danielvalle_architects

location: Susongmot Lake, Daegu, South Korea
area: 130 sqm

client: Songsu-dong City. Daegu City

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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The Art Dome Pavilion by Korean designer Hyunje Joo rises from the sands of Maengbang Beach in Samcheok, South Korea, as a transparent arc that flickers with movement and light. Commissioned by the Samcheok Tourism & Culture Foundation, the pavilion is an ephemeral installation which takes shape as a structural gesture, comprising 8,000 acrylic pixels that shift and shimmer with the coastal breeze.

8,000 transparent pixels reflect light and wind on Maengbang Beach | images © Min

hyunje joo’s Responsive Skin on the Shore

Located along the eastern coastline in Gangwon-do, artist Hyunje Joo’s Art Dome Pavilion responds directly to its environment. Each transparent pixel is layered by hand and catches sunlight and sea breeze to create a surface that feels in motion even when still. As daylight shifts, the refractions on the dome’s surface alternate between barely-there glints and saturated waves of color, reflecting the beach’s changing light conditions.

Visitors approaching the Art Dome Pavilion encounter a tactile boundary between land and sky, where the layered material refracts the surrounding scene. The sense of enclosure is delicate — more optical than physical — and the effect is quietly immersive. From inside the dome, the surrounding landscape dissolves into luminous fragments.

the installation captures the sunset and dusk as light is held within its shimmering pixels

pixelated Material Logic and Assembly

Hyunje Joo’s use of repetition and transparency forms the conceptual and structural basis for the Art Dome Pavilion. The 8,000 stacked components create a continuous, curved surface without relying on traditional cladding or framing systems. Instead, the installation depends on massing and careful alignment, allowing the material itself to define both structure and experience.

Rather than attempting to dominate the coastline, the pavilion exists in dialogue with its surroundings. Its curved footprint traces a subtle arc along the beach, framing views while remaining partially translucent. The shape encourages visitors to circle, enter, and dwell, offering varied perspectives that shift with each step.

the coastline is transformed into a living canvas

While the pavilion’s geometry remains fixed, its appearance is always changing. This mutability reinforces its symbolic role as a gathering point for personal aspirations. According to the client, the Samcheok Tourism & Culture Foundation, the installation reflects a broader hope: that visitors’ dreams and desires will shimmer through, each distinct in color and tone, much like the shifting pixels themselves.

Though minimal in palette and form, the Art Dome Pavilion delivers a reflective and porous spatial experience that’s at once open and enclosed. Hyunje Joo’s design invites repeated encounters, where the viewer’s position, the wind, and the weather all shape what the experience becomes.

as the sun sets, the pavilion glows with the sky’s changing palette

the colorful patterns ripple and shift with the breeze, mirroring the movement of light and air

as sunlight filters through the iridescent pixels, it casts vivid, mosaic-like shadows on the sand

project info:

name: Art dome Pavilion
designer: Hyunje Joo | @hyunjejoo

location: Maengbang Beach, Geundeok-myeon, Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
client: Samcheok Tourism & Culture Foundation
completion: 2025
photography: © Min

project team: Donghwan Kim, Wooseok Jo, Seungmin Lee, Jaeho Jeon, Junsik Eom, Wonhyeok Lee, Jimin Kim, Gwanghee Lim, Gayeon Park, Juhyo Lee, Irum Song, Chewon Lee, Donggeun Kwon, Horim Jeon, Eunbi Kim, Dayu Jeong (student at Kangwon National University), Kyunghee Kwak, Yoojin Kang, Younghye Kim. Dong-young Kim, Jungyeon Lee, Soyoung Min (Samcheok Tourism & Culture Foundation)
manufacturer: HAUS culture (Hogi Kim)
finish material: PE (hologram pixel)

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In Gwangyang, South Korea, a city with a longstanding steelmaking heritage, Park1538 is conceived as a sinuous structure that invites light to ripple across its layered metal form. Designed by UnSangDong Architects with POSCO A&C, the project reclaims a former industrial site, transforming it into a civic space that intersects technology and public life, and forming a venue for arts and culture. Named after both the melting point of steel (1,538°C) and the Korean words for light (gwang) and sunlight (yang), the museum’s sweeping steel ribs and reflective cladding evoke movement and atmosphere, offering a spatial expression of the city’s identity through the very material that defines it.

This undulating silhouette is formed by a series of individually calibrated ribs that curve and taper with rhythmic precision, creating a shell-like structure that appears to hover above the ground. These elements are clad in PosMAC (POSCO’s proprietary magnesium-aluminum alloy) which enables the realization of complex geometries while showcasing the material’s reflective, corrosion-resistant finish. Altogether, over 4,400 tons of steel were used to form the structure, reinforcing its role as both exhibition and artifact.

all images courtesy of UnSangDong Architects

reclaiming an industrial site for a public arts venue

Beyond this striking visual impact, the form posed significant technical challenges for the design team. UnSangDong Architects thus ensured that each rib responds to different spatial needs and load conditions, demanding a completely non-standard construction process. From early-stage 3D simulations to close collaboration across fabrication and engineering teams, the design process unfolded as an iterative dialogue between skin, structure, and space. The structure, as a result, reads as both sculpture and infrastructure.

Inside, vertically layered programs interconnect without hierarchy. A ground-level public plaza extends into the site, inviting visitors inward from the surrounding streetscape, while a floating gallery space is elevated above, offering panoramic views and immersive exhibitions. At the core of the building, the architects have organized an educational center around an open atrium, with shared staircases promoting movement and exchange.

Park1538 Gwangyang’s sinuous structure invites light to ripple across its layered metal form

drawing on the city’s steelmaking legacy

Landscape design, too, plays a key role in rooting the project within its industrial past. Recycled steelmaking byproducts are integrated into the plaza and planting beds, anchoring the site in its material history. Soft green interventions reintroduce nature into a formerly hard-edged terrain. The site becomes a place for gathering and reflection, bridging architecture and ecology in shared evolution.

altogether, over 4,400 tons of steel were used to form the structure

a series of individually calibrated ribs that curve and taper with rhythmic precision

vertically layered programs interconnect without hierarchy

the undulating language continues through to the interiors

UnSangDong Architects reclaims a former industrial site, transforming it into a civic space

rooting the project within its industrial past

multimedia exhibits within

functioning as an art museum

honoring the heritage of the city

soft green interventions reintroduce nature into a formerly hard-edged terrain

project info:

name: Park1538 Gwangyang

architect: UnSangDong Architects | @unsangdong, POSCO A&C | @posco_anc

location: Jeollanam-do, Gwangyang-si, Korea

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

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Pojeon-jip, or ‘the house that embraces the field,’ is a residential project in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, designed by sukchulmok in collaboration with BRBB. Located at the foot of a mountain on a 1,300-square-meter former farmland site, the house is positioned to face an actively cultivated vegetable garden. The design is defined by intersecting volumes composed of differing materials, which create layered visual depth while maintaining privacy and spatial enclosure.

The project is planned in two phases. The current structure consists of a conjoined building that accommodates an elderly couple and includes a guest room. A future mirrored addition is expected to introduce a workspace and annex, supporting extended stays by the couple’s adult sons. This phased development allows the house to support multi-generational use over time.

all images by Hong Seokgyu

Fence lines and exterior walls are integrated into one form

A primary design consideration was the openness of the site, which lacked natural screening. To address this, the collaborative design team between sukchulmok + BRBB opted for the overlap of the building mass with site boundaries, integrating fence lines and external walls into a continuous architectural form. This approach generated a denser spatial organization and contributed to an enhanced sense of enclosure without compromising natural views or light.

The structure’s walls and roof are based on a standardized 600×1200mm formwork module, with wall and roof heights set at 2400mm. These dimensions establish consistency and a sense of order throughout the building. Material junctions and modular rhythms emphasize the transitions between different surfaces, producing a layered spatial composition that alternates between volumetric solidity and planar transparency.

Pojeon-jip is located at the foot of a mountain on former farmland

Pojeon-jip combines Agricultural and intergenerational living

The material palette emphasizes contrast between exterior and interior conditions. While the building presents a robust, enclosed exterior, interior openings frame the surrounding forested hillside, functioning like constructed viewports. Interior volumes remain compact and efficient, oriented toward the agricultural field, which continues to be actively maintained by the residents.

Pojeon-jip exemplifies a residential typology in which agricultural practice and domestic life are closely integrated. By situating the house directly alongside a working vegetable garden and maintaining strong visual and functional connections to the land, the project supports a mode of living that is both site-specific and intergenerational.

intersecting volumes define the home’s spatial organization

the house directly faces an actively cultivated vegetable garden

a concrete structure sits atop a red brick wall, creating a layered expression

differing materials create layered depth and visual variation

various types of wood are used to create a patchwork-like mapping of textures

behind the wall made of wood and galvanized pipe is a secondary kitchen space

the main house interior features warm wooden tones

junctions between materials express modular rhythm and order

built-in furniture and walls are unified in a single body, crafted from lauan wood

the facade contrasts solid mass with planar transparency

at night, the annex’s exterior lighting softly glows through polycarbonate panels

beyond the backyard garden, the original farmhouse can be seen in the distance

project info:

name: 抱田집 (Pojeon-jip)
architects: sukchulmok | @sukchulmok + BRBB

area: 128 sqm

location: 35, Eoryong 2-gil, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

photographer: Hong Seokgyu | @seokgyuhong

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