MUKDONG COMPLEX, 2025 — SPACETASKGROUP

MUKDONG COMPLEX

2025

ARCHITECTURE, COMPETETION

CLIENT : SEOUL
TYPE : OFFICE
LOCATION : SEONGAMRO, MAPOGU, SEOUL
FLOOR AREA :
INVOLVEMENT : DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION DESIGN
COLABORATOR : JUSTWORK ARCHITECTS
CONSTRUCTION : SPACETASKGROUP+JUSTWORK ARCHITECTS
PHOTOGRAPHY : YOUSUB SONG

This project is reimagining the existing building into a cafe, sitted alongside of a ocean, located in Sokcho, a major tourist hub in Northeast side of Korea. The whole concept was evolved from a keyword, the ‘Shelter’ provided by our client, including branding, architecture and spatial design. The main requirement of this project was to integrate three different sites into one architecture, preserving one of existing building.

In the early stage of this project, We started with exploring ways of how to compose a harmony of a newly introduced building while preserving what had been existing throughout the site. Rather than inserting one big building, we placed couple of small scaled buildings that blends into the urban tissue; and We conducted an architecture as a village. We tried to keep the sizes of new rooms similar with the former building’s spaces and turned them into necessary programs of a cafe.

The space of Shl’tr consists of a dark cave-like space creating a contrast with surrounding context where it allows to discover unexpected aspects of everyday scenes or of the existing context.

The courtyard on the first floor act as an entrance and a space where you can perceive flows of time. The two voids in the courtyard are formed in organic shapes, contrasting with a mountain-like shape of the buildings, offering softer shadows.

As soon as entering the cafe area, you can see large amount of natural lights coming from the ceiling, lightening up a 7.5m long concrete countertop which then naturally leads to recognize the window to the backyard. Existing columns and walls are adjusted to make both halls (hall1, hall2) on the first floor are facing the courtyard and backyard. The outer edges of the building facing outside also turned into a sitting area where you can spend and experience nature.