labotory contrasts rough rocks with sophisticated clothes in seoul showroom

labotory designed the showroom for clothing brand, ready2wear, located in seoul, south korea. upon the first meetings with the client, labotory proposed the phrase ‘casa calmoso’ as the design concept for the space, meaning creating a calm and tranquil house. through the contrast of materials in the abstracting process, the result is a subtle atmosphere where the clothes blend in and give a sense of comfort and welcoming.

images ⓒ labotory, photographed by yongjoon choi

labotory understood ready2wear’s desire to provide well-made clothes at a reasonable price and with high quality. to match the brand’s vision, the designers created an uncommon sensitive style taking inspiration from rumanian sculptor constantin brancusi’s art, known for his artworks to simplify and abstract shapes. both the design of the pieces and the store strengthen the expressive power of each material and infuses its own vitality.

ready2wear’s new showroom creates a curated area that interacts intimately with each customer. since the first and the second floor have different functions, the designers aimed to characterize each level differently. a more calming atmosphere was created on the second floor, complete with spatial elements that harmonize and maximize the mood. it includes a curved-line ceiling, indirect lighting fixtures rather than direct lighting, rough materials with natural textures, and furniture to complement the space. 

labotory’s idea for the aesthetic of the showroom was to emphasize the contrast between different materials. when entering the second-floor showroom, visitors feel the contrast of façade formed by the fine-painted wall and the rough-stone wall for display. the stone wall becomes a main character, which attracts the viewers and centralizes the premium clothes of ready2wear. 

the curved ceiling compensates the house’s existing low-ceiling. the elaborated curved line embraces the indirect lighting, where the edge of the line creates an illusion of extending the space. the designers intended to deliver a message about the brand’s image of unique and high quality, by expressing the concept about materials and their properties appropriately in the space and interpreting the abstract shapes and the contrast between materials intuitively. 

project info:

design: labotory

project name: ready2wear retail showroom

location: seoul, south korea

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: cristina gomez | designboom