This structure was originally built in 1974 and is located in Myeongnyun-dong, Jongno-gu, an area densely lined with red brick buildings. On this site, where layers of time have accumulated, we mark a new beginning through renovation. While respecting the existing traces as much as possible, we sought to boldly express a spirit of curiosity and experimentation. The building serves as a hybrid ground, functioning as both a studio and a residence for sukchulmok and BRBB.
sukchulmok & BRBB Archtects
The design largely preserves the exterior to match the red brick buildings and uses restrained contemporary interventions to harmonize the internal perspective toward the outside, the structural imperfections, and the building’s volumetric presence with the surrounding context. In this process, the architects introduced clay bricks echoing the original brick pattern and zinc-coated steel panels to articulate a new layer of intervention.
The interior is composed of circular masses derived from multiples and iterative values. These volumes, formed through the combination of stone, wood, and steel, each with distinct textures at times enclose structural reinforcements, at times become spatial enclosures, and at times function as furniture.
Clear reasoning determines each diameter. For example, the designers gave the street-facing ground-floor entrance a diameter that pulls the space inward to form a natural canopy because constraints prevented external installation.
The second-floor stair hall maintains a circulation radius while accommodating sufficient book storage. Under these principles, the circular gestures either form wave-like patterns or proliferate, expanding the space while functioning as furniture, walls, doors, and lighting. The layering of this consistent formal language generates a deeper and more expansive spatial experience.
The elements composing the space retain their raw surfaces while allowing for variability and transformation. The designers embedded concealment devices throughout to organize the layered aspects of daily life while leaving the materiality itself exposed. On the ground floor, the circular volume encloses structural reinforcements while functioning as upper and lower storage, a built-in element concealing HVAC systems, and a housing for lighting and speakers.
Additionally, a 3m × 2.5m void carved into the floor near the front window creates the highest ceiling height when viewed from the basement, offering a strong spatial presence. The designers conceived this space as an open platform capable of accommodating future installations, exhibitions, and various events.
The designers designed the second floor as a living space. They used okoume plywood with a pronounced grain to create a warm atmosphere, while they finished the floor with a green-toned liquid material mixed with cork, allowing it to blend naturally with the wood.
The wave-like gesture extending from the stair hall wraps around structural steel, transforming into bookshelves, a sink, and eventually expanding into the bathroom. Slightly rotated windows, adjusted to avoid direct views from adjacent buildings, secure a broader field of vision.
Rather than settling into a fixed identity, this space is intended to remain in a state of challenge and fluidity. Anticipating the many creative outcomes that will unfold here, we aim to accumulate experiences within this place over time.
Fact File
Designed by: sukchulmok & BRBB Archtects
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Reinterpreting a 50-Year-Old Building in Myeongnyun-dong
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Year Built: 2026
Project Size: 2098.96 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: sukchulmok
Lead Team: BRBB Archtects
Photograph Courtesy: Hong Seokgyu
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Instagram Link: sukchulmok & BRBB Archtects
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