The Order of Strata
Seated quietly, the newly rebranded Innisfree’s flagship store ‘The Isle’ in Seongsu-dong echoes a subdued atmosphere, minimizing architectural sounds in its muted, colorless surroundings. The traces of an abandoned factory here softly imply its accumulated history. Paradoxically, the subtle presence it exudes contrasts with the surrounding urban forest, revealing a distinct aura. Another smooth stratum, covering rough gravel and soil, hints at the creation of a new spacetime upon the canvas of the past.
As the name, ‘The Isle’ suggests, it embodies the concept of a ‘virtual island,’ emphasizing the untouched purity and cleanliness of nature not easily reached by footsteps.
The space brings to life the idea that ‘the island we imagine has no flat terrain,’ visually confirming the presence of its elements. The varied elevations of lines representing the strata resemble the contours of an island and reveal the depth of sedimentary layers. From the exterior to the interior, the project site’s floor and newly laid epidermal layers elsewhere contribute to the overall cohesion of the space. The base panels commonly used in external construction serve as the primary material. These base panels, starting from the floor, actively shape or finish elements like bench-like chairs, tables, and display shelves at a consistent height. The varied orders of high and low strata surrounding the ground evoke a sense of maximizing the unknown island.
The media wall within the exhibition space is a specially designated area, emphasizing the image of an untouched, pure island through massive rocks and the solitary green-colored tree. These rocks are not comfortably lying on the floor but are precariously positioned, either integrated with steel frames or supporting the space by touching the ceiling. Their unrealistic and weighty tension, combined with the modular base panels’ orderly and monotonous structure, create ripples within the space. This primitive mass and tension, merging with the rugged and robust existing factory structure, infuse the exhibition space with a vibrant energy. ‘The Isle’ beckons you into an area where reality and virtuality intersect, guiding you through an unfamiliar yet intriguing island in the heart of the city.
Project: THE ISLE (Innisfree Seongsu Flagship Store) / Location: 11, Seongsui-ro 7ga-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South korea / Architect: WGNB / Project team: Minwoo Yang, Chaewon Seol, Hyeyoon Jeon / Site area: 364.84m² / Bldg. area: 573.73m² / Design: 2023.6~2023.8 / Completion: 2023.10 / Photograph: ©Yongjoon Choi (courtesy of the architect)
