There is a place where people of Seoul may have heard at least once when they think of Cheongnyangri District, which is Gyeongdong Market. It is Seoul’s largest traditional market since 1960, and it naturally started by the trade of herbal medicines that came from all parts of the country to this particular transportation hub area. As you enter the center of the market, you can find at a glance a very unique red brick building.
The two-story building was originally built in 1955 for the purpose of a cow feed warehouse; five years before the Gyeongdong Market was established. The building was once the center of this market, where merchants came in and out every day, but gradually was abandoned and forgotten over time. Nevertheless, the time of the 70s’, 80s’ and up to 2000s’ has been accumulated in the space.
After years of fading, this place now has been chosen as the new home for Studio Eccentric. The name, ‘Willow 997-1’ was inspired by the surname of the first owner of the building, which it symbolized the willow tree, with added number of the existing building address. As the function of an office for the studio and studio-run creative art space, it was critical to find new ways to insert new programs harmonizing with the existing atmosphere. In order to respect and utilize the existing condition as much as possible, newly added elements were considered to be minimized.
Studio Eccentric’s office has been placed on one side of the second floor, which was previously divided into food court kitchens. Due to the kitchen piping, a level of 500mm high was formed along the outer side of the space, and each divided cooking spaces showed traces of different colors and sizes of tiles. Programs necessary for the designer office were constructed upon each divided space. The configuration of the programs was considered regarding the work efficiency, and the workspace, canteen, sample room, conference room were laid out with the existing low walls in between. Newly painted white walls were created for necessary enclosure, and this created a unique atmosphere of a distinctive contrast with the existing rough finish.
A space located on the other of the office has been transformed to an art space called ‘The WilloW’. Just as there is a contrast between traditional market and the creative art space, it was important to maintain the atmosphere as it was in line with Willow 997-1, which pursues sensuous mix and match of roughness and sophistication. The finish of the space, it does not stand out in terms of interior design, but rather, a lot of effort has been devoted to supplement the invisible and important issues to keep the old ones intact.
