lim tae-hee design studio preserves korean architecture with seoul café restoration

lim tae-hee design studio has transformed a pre-existing building into an iconic café, in seoul. situated in hoehyeon-dong, a relatively underdeveloped area of the city, the structure showcases the beauty of a more traditional korean architecture. dubbed ‘café stairs’, the old building stands out amid the rapidly developing urban fabric of seoul. 

all images by yongjoon choi

café stairs takes its name after its entrance access, where visitors have to climb a set of stairs from an alley to get to the interior. lim tae-hee design studio decided to renovate the past structure, and at the same time leave a trail of history behind. they believe that the building, whose exterior doesn’t reflect its overall architecture sufficiently, is a significant device that reminds of the historical atmosphere in seoul. in this way, the coffee shop revitalizes the area, while preventing tradition and memories from fading. 

project info:

name: café stairs
architects: lim tae-hee design studio
location: hoehyeon-dong, jung-gu, seoul
area: 66 m2

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edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom