The play of ceramics that grows ripe over time
No windows are found on the exterior facing the surroundings. It arouses curiosity about what secrets are hidden inside the white, curved exterior walls. As it is located in a place called ‘Jangjinwoo Street’ among Gyeongridan streets in Seoul, it is fulfilling its role as a stimulus to attract attention. With a color and shape completely different from the old red bricks spread around, it is the appearance of gently subjugating the spaces of the vested interests.
Due to gentrification, there is currently no Jang Jin-woo store on Jang Jin-woo Street. It is a town that burned hot as a street that was too famous and has now cooled down, but there are still enthusiasts who paint it. It is a kind of bookstore that I entered with the hope that they would quietly come and just read books. Furthermore, it is a space that specializes in graphic novels, and that’s why it looks like books are stacked neatly. In particular, the windowless, white ceramic exterior is the result of realizing the cross-section of an old dictionary in collaboration with ceramic artist Moonpyeong. The windowless exterior is conscious of the excellent natural environment or the surrounding environment, where it is difficult to expect a refreshing view. The only view outside the window was the brick wall of the neighboring villa, so the window disappeared so that I could concentrate on the book. Since there are no windows, the lighting is becoming an important factor in determining the space. Instead of a window, the illuminance is controlled in stages. Since the light that seeps through the gap between the skylight and the wall varies from day to day, all lights are separated, and a separate lighting plan is made for reading areas.
There are about 5,000 graphic novels, which refer to author-oriented cartoons with literary composition and characteristics. At the same time, it is also a place where you can have a light drink. In other words, it is a ‘drinking manga room’. There are quite a few fanatics of graphic novels because the story structure is solid, structured, and the pictures convey a rich imagination. It is a bookstore so that they can enjoy the culture to their heart’s content, but I feel that they have tried not to be rigid like a bookstore. Rather than focusing on following the urban context, the interior space that focuses on the reading posture to focus on the book creates such an atmosphere. As everyone has different preferred reading postures, such as lying down or sitting upright, the furniture is melted into the space at various heights according to them. In addition, they are wary of becoming a bar that is too free-spirited and prone to disorder due to such furniture. It is not a bookstore or a bar, but a third play space and a cultural space.
Ceramic, which is an exterior material, gets more and more enchanting and the color becomes more beautiful as time goes by. It does not become wretched with time, but emits an image that gradually softens and matures with the stacking of time. As the material of ceramic grows ripening, the stacking of time is recorded.
Project: Graphic / Location: 33, Hoenamu-ro 39-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea / Architect: OONN / Interior design: U.lab / Constructor: the one design / Area : 366.45m² / Exterior finishing: ceramic / Interior finishing: concrete polishing (floor), painting (wall), color paint on concrete (ceiling) / Photograph: ⓒKang min gu (courtesy of the architect)
