On the ascending road from Itaewon toward Namsan Tunnel No. 3 stood a modest, timeworn structure—unassuming in scale but consistently drawing our attention with its idiosyncratic façade. One day, almost serendipitously, a client approached us with a proposal to rehabilitate and repurpose this very building. Upon our initial site visit, the structure evoked the aura of the house from My Neighbor Totoro—as if it held stories embedded within its walls.
The project presented a multitude of architectural constraints: unpermitted additions, unresolved boundary disputes, and a location within a designated redevelopment zone where cadastral surveying was not permitted. Moreover, the building—now over four decades old—lacked any archival drawings and possessed a structurally convoluted framework. Despite these challenges, we were drawn to its spatial potential, the multiplicity of its façades, and the intriguing program of a shared ceramics studio.
The spatial programming was organized vertically by function: the basement level accommodates a kiln room dedicated to ceramic firing; the ground floor features a compact café and a retail component for ceramics tools and materials, alongside a workshop zone visibly oriented toward the main street for public engagement. The second floor serves as the primary studio, with a separate point of access to facilitate autonomous visits by reservation. Administrative support spaces were placed on the third floor, while the rooftop—offering panoramic views of Namsan Tower—was reimagined as the owner’s private retreat.
Intervention was intentionally minimal—so much so that visitors often asked, “Is it really okay to leave it this untouched?” The north elevation, reminiscent of Totoro’s fabled house, retained its irregular fenestration pattern. The existing brick façade was meticulously cleaned, and damaged portions were restored using matching units sourced to maintain material continuity. On the west-facing street elevation, the original rhythmic arrangement of shallow terraces was preserved; only the finish was updated, clad with carefully selected white ceramic tiles to subtly renew the visual character while honoring the original composition.
Given the studio’s role as a space for individual, process-based creation, we avoided overdesign or ornamental excess. Instead, we prioritized functional clarity and environmental comfort—framing borrowed views of street trees, maximizing access to daylight, and opening sightlines toward distant Namsan.
The client’s aspiration was to establish a space where people, overwhelmed by urban life, could find quietude and self-reflection through manual engagement with clay. Throughout the design and construction process, we encountered significant obstacles—strict budget limitations, civil complaints from adjacent parcels, the structural reinforcement of an aging framework, and water infiltration at the subterranean level. Yet the client remained remarkably poised throughout, and their clarity of purpose helped the project stay true to its intent.
We hope the renewed space will serve as a healthy and inspiring environment for many—a place where tactile work and architectural restraint offer a reprieve from the intensity of everyday life.
