John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects
1461 E 4th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033
213 253 4740
jfak.net
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c. JFAK, 2020
Shinsa Shell
Seoul, South Korea
2002
The upscale but chaotic Shinsadong district in Seoul is home to many of the city’s trendiest boutiques and cafes, housed in hastily designed buildings pasted over with mismatched materials and signs. As a counterpoint, Shinsa Shell was designed to create a place of refuge for both the eye and the body.
Six stories tall, and 20,000 SF in size, the building’s relatively monolithic form stands up to the many fragmented structures nearby, as well as the existing power pole and wires that were impossible to relocate. Clad in limestone and utilizing punched openings rather than large expanses of glass, its solid walls and reduced palette resist the colorful cacophony of their surroundings.
Subtle angles on the structure’s long side intensify the narrowness and intimacy of the adjacent side street. Following local daylighting codes, the building’s top two floors step back to assure adequate sunlight for the street below, as well as create rooftop terraces with views of the surrounding city.
Client
- Soon Eui Lee
General Contractor
- Inmo Yang
Project Team
