This renovation project is located at the foot of Nanshan Mountain in Seoul. The original building was a Goshiwon, a red brick examination hall hotel constructed in the 1990s. The architects aimed to preserve the historical character of the site while transforming it into a vibrant cultural complex featuring cinemas, cafés, restaurants, and design shops. By respecting the building’s heritage, they sought to create a space that bridges the past with present and future possibilities.
Floor Renovation: Originally, the building functioned as an exam hall with tightly packed rooms. After removing the old roof and walls, the layout of each floor was revealed, allowing for a comprehensive redesign.
The first floor is partially underground, while the second floor is accessed via an exterior staircase. The third floor faces a retaining wall, and the fourth floor connects to the ground level of the neighboring plot. The rooftop serves as a spacious terrace offering expansive views. Each floor maintains the building’s harmony while centralizing key facilities to efficiently serve its intended functions.
The interior layout includes the Hoehyeon restaurant on the first floor, a café on the second, a sub-art space on the third, a boutique store on the fourth, and a rooftop terrace on the fifth floor. Since the building has only one emergency staircase, vertical access posed a challenge. The restaurant entrance is marked by French windows that extend the interior space outward, inviting customers and enhancing accessibility from adjacent alleys. Furthermore, the staircase entrance on the first floor has been visually expanded, and the external staircase connecting to the second floor significantly improves access between these levels.
Red Brick Heritage: The building’s red brick façade has been a defining characteristic for many years. Historically, color in architecture serves to convey strong, immediate impressions and acts as a memorable landmark. The Piknic Center preserves this legacy by reinterpreting the red brick aesthetic on every floor. Modern materials and finishes in various tones of red create a harmonious blend of the classic original and contemporary design.
Project Information
△ Sketch
△ Exploded Diagram
Project Details
Architect: Indiesalon
Project Year: 2020
Photographer: Donggyu Kim
Lead Architect: Seokjoon Jang
Design Team: Kyubeen Lee, Yukyung Park
Construction Lead: Yongmin Lee
Location: Jung-gu, South Korea
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