Design Studio Maoom explores the layering of time in a Traditional Korean Hanok

The Design Studio Maoom has mixed architectonical remains of the past with contemporary elements, reflecting the recipe of the restaurant.

In this “milbang”-a hidden room concealing a chef’s secret recipe- lies the opportunity to meet cuisine crafted with both experience and sincerity.

Two hanoks with the traces of times gone by interlock with their differing histories. The differences between the remains of the past left behind in each location lie in an orbit that circles back to the past and then again to the present.

A narrow path connecting to the outside passes through the courtyard, transporting the visitor through unfamiliar experiences in an unexpected chronology.

The exterior border serves as a physical boundary, by which the past and the present are connected. In order to create a sequence in which different times meet and connect, the old and faded wood structure of the hanok with its traces of age was preserved, and hanji was used to erase the natural color of the wood while conserving its grain, creating a blank space indicative of a new era.

Beneath the shared language of the structure of the hanok, the difference in the scenic time periods is highlighted in the courtyard, where a new experience is formed. Each person has a unique experience as they walk in and out of the building an experience that goes beyond time.

“To hide something” means to place an object out of sight, or to conceal truth or an action from others. To Design Studio Maoom, hiding is a method of showing a precious past that one wants to conserve. Design Studio Maoom wanted to reveal the traces and value of time a little bit more discreetly, while demonstrating its relativity. The last room reveals its presence as daylight starts to fade.

With this, Dongnip Milbang is able to present to its visitors the joy of enjoying the perspectives of different times from their very own seats.

If you want to know more about Korean Architecture, check Sculptural Building by a Korean Architect Studio