jung-hoon lee makes reference to traditional korean houses in 'gwol' furniture series

for his latest furniture collection — titled ‘gwol’ — jung-hoon lee has drawn inspiration from traditional korean architecture. the concept behind the series, which comprises both tables and stools, looks to the roof elements of vernacular housing types that can be found in the designer’s home country. by combining references to the ancient buildings with sleek materials, the project forms a direct dialogue between new and old.

gwol table I / stainless steel, granite / 830 x 650 x 448 mm

all images courtesy of jung-hoon lee

jung-hoon lee‘s designs make reference to the roof tiles of the traditional ‘hanok’ houses in korea. these elements, called ‘sumaksae’, are cylindrical in shape and are placed repeatedly to adorn the roof structure. as can be seen from the new furniture collection, ‘gwol’ is inspired by this rounded form. in addition to the shape, the center of the cylinder is also traditionally decorated with various patterns such as flowers, geometric patterns, dragons, and goblins. in reflection of this, the designer has also flourished the tables and stool with decorative motifs. 

gwol table II / stainless steel, granite / 830 x 570 x 448 mm

for the materials of the ‘gwol’ series, jung-hoon lee has used stainless steel to form the main, cylindrical body. for the sculptural motif at the end of the cylinder, granite has been employed, representing the stone found in korean architecture and making for an interesting contrast against the sleek and shiny metal. created for both indoor and outdoor use, the collection embodies the theme of korea’s ancient houses, while still forming a contemporary design. 

gwol stool / stainless steel, granite / 830 x 165 x 435 mm

gwol stool (black) / stainless steel, granite / 830 x 165 x 435 mm

the ‘gwol’ table and stool

front view of the table and stool

the ‘gwol’ series together

the roof of a hanok

detail of the granite sculpture

the roof of a hanok

the roof structure is made up of tiles

the traditional korean house and the ‘sumaksae’ roof decoration

project info:

project name: ‘gwol’

design: jung-hoon lee

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: lynne myers | designboom