Concrete Utopia by designer Hyunje Joo reconfigures discarded concrete pipes into an open-ended public pavilion at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan in South Korea. The project examines the environmental implications of concrete, one of the most widely used and carbon-intensive construction materials, and proposes reuse as a spatial and conceptual strategy.

Concrete, second only to water in global consumption, generates significant greenhouse gas emissions during production. In response to the climate crisis and the material dominance of contemporary cities, the project addresses the condition of the ‘concrete city’ through the adaptive reuse of abandoned infrastructure. Rather than introducing new materials, the installation reclaims discarded concrete pipes found in urban environments and reorganizes them into inhabitable play structures.

Pipes of varying diameters are assembled into a flexible configuration that accommodates multiple forms of occupation. The arrangement allows for climbing, sitting, circulation, and gathering, transforming industrial components into spatial devices. By retaining the original identity of the pipes while altering their function, the project shifts perception from infrastructure to architecture.

all images by Hyunje Joo

reclaimed industrial materials compose Concrete Utopia

Conceived as a micro-scale urban environment, Concrete Utopia operates as both pavilion and metaphor. Its open-ended composition avoids fixed hierarchy, enabling visitors to navigate and interpret the space in different ways. The repetitive circular geometries reference standardized construction systems while simultaneously disrupting their original purpose.

Through direct engagement with reused concrete elements, the project by designer Hyunje Joo frames urban resilience as a matter of material reconsideration and spatial reorganization. By extending the lifecycle of construction waste, Concrete Utopia positions reuse not only as an environmental strategy but also as a means of rethinking how cities are built and inhabited.

Concrete Utopia reassembles discarded concrete pipes into a public pavilion at the Museum of Contemporary Art

the installation reuses abandoned infrastructure instead of introducing newly manufactured materials

varying pipe diameters generate a layered and inhabitable spatial composition

circular geometries define the pavilion’s spatial identity

the pipes are arranged to support climbing, sitting, and gathering

industrial components are transformed into interactive urban elements

reclaimed pipes form a flexible configuration open to multiple uses

the pavilion operates as a micro-scale interpretation of the concrete city

the installation encourages physical engagement with reclaimed materials

the structures retain the raw texture and weight of concrete

open-ended arrangements avoid fixed hierarchy or prescribed routes

spatial reorganization extends the lifecycle of construction waste

Concrete Utopia positions reuse as a framework for urban resilience

project info:

name: Concrete Utopia
designer: Hyunje Joo | @hyunjejoo

location: Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, South Korea

client: Museum of Contemporary Art Busan | @moca_busan

photographer: Hyunje Joo

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: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Painter N’s House by A.CO.LAB Architects is a renovation project of a single-family residence originally constructed in 1969 in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul. Rather than demolishing and rebuilding, the project focuses on preserving the existing structure and adapting it to meet contemporary spatial requirements. The design approach treats the building’s aged and irregular condition as a record of lived experience, integrating new architectural systems within its historical fabric.

The renovation addresses both the lifestyle of an artist couple who had inhabited the house for more than a decade and the broader character of the surrounding neighborhood. Instead of erasing structural and environmental limitations through reconstruction, the project resolves them through targeted interventions. The existing building envelope is retained, and its imperfections are understood as part of a social and material archive.

To maintain the scale of the alleys and the established texture of the village, the exterior was not fully reclad. External insulation was removed to reveal the original brickwork, and missing decorative bricks were sourced from a nearby redevelopment site, dismantled and reused to complete the facade. This material continuity reinforces the relationship between the renovated house and its urban context.

all images courtesy of A.CO.LAB Architects

old and new materiality interplay in Painter N’s House

The design team at A.CO.LAB Architects inserts a new structural framework within the retained brick shell, extending from the basement to the attic. Organized as a regular three-dimensional grid based on a 田-shaped plan, the system negotiates the uneven floors and walls of the original house while enabling vertical and horizontal expansion. Wood was selected for areas of direct human contact due to its tactile qualities, while metal was used for exposed ceiling structures. The second floor was constructed entirely in wood.

Responding to the stepped topography at the foot of the mountain, the attic extension was limited in height to preserve neighboring views. The original first-floor slab, positioned above a former underground air-raid shelter, was removed and replaced with a raised wooden floor integrated into the new structural system. This intervention creates a continuous yet articulated relationship between the basement and first floor, with the raised floor extending outward to form a porch.

Interior components, including shelving, movable tables, storage units, lighting, and bathroom partitions, are organized according to the logic of the structural grid. Roof eaves and gutters protect the wooden cladding of the attic extension, while additional insulation and brass drainage elements address water infiltration between the existing outer wall and the new inset structure.

Painter N’s House is a 1969 residence renovated in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul

Constructed using accessible materials such as wood, recycled brick, metal, and standard fixtures, Painter N’s House project demonstrates how renovation can operate as a primary architectural strategy. By embedding new structural logic within an existing shell, the house negotiates continuity, material reuse, and spatial adaptation within the framework of a 1969 dwelling.

existing brick walls are preserved as part of the renovation strategy

the original building envelope remains intact

targeted interventions replace demolition and reconstruction

a new structural framework is inserted within the existing shell

wood, recycled brick, and metal shape the renovation’s material palette

a three-dimensional grid follows a square-shaped plan

wood defines areas of direct contact and the second floor

metal structures remain exposed at the ceiling

the attic extension is limited to preserve neighboring views

built-in elements align with the structural grid

the aged condition of the house is treated as a material archive

the facade maintains the scale and texture of the village

reclaimed bricks were sourced from a nearby redevelopment site

living areas open entirely to the residence’s courtyard

project info:

name: Painter N’s House

architect: A.CO.LAB Architects | @a.co.lab
lead architects: Isak Chung, Jinpyo Hong
location: Yeonhui-dong, Seoul, 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: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Set at the edge of a protected forest in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, overlooking the Medongaule botanical garden, REST is a restaurant by Pezo von Ellrichshausen that reads as a piece of infrastructure embedded in the landscape. Designed for Les Jardins de Medongaule, the project unfolds as a monumental concrete structure that hosts culinary programs ranging from intimate dining to large social gatherings.

The entire structure is constructed in reinforced concrete, finished with a soft green tint that subtly echoes the surrounding vegetation. Dark oak and terrazzo claddings introduce warmth and tactile contrast, grounding the heavy structure in a restrained material palette. 

A regular grid of sixteen rectangular columns defines the building; their exaggerated thickness transforms them into inhabitable elements. Space exists not only between the columns but also within them. Below the main structure, a fully buried, specialized kitchen supports the entire operation, freeing the upper levels from service constraints and allowing the architecture above to remain spatially abstract.

images © Pezo von Ellrichshausen

a concrete infrastructure shaped by inhabitable columns

REST asserts itself as a dense, almost archaic presence. The Concepción-based architects at Pezo von Ellrichshausen describe it as a ‘mute monument’, cornered against the forest and grounded on a gentle slope. Its position allows the building to mediate between cultivated garden and protected nature. The ambiguity of the structure is intentional, leaving its meaning open and its spatial reading unresolved.

The building is organized into three distinct strata that respond to both topography and use. The lowest level follows the natural slope of the site, forming a covered amphitheater that funnels activity toward the valley. Above it, an intermediate layer is suspended beneath a thick horizontal slab, structured around a diagonal symmetry created by open corner terraces at opposite ends. The uppermost level sits atop a non-directional platform, where ten-meter-tall, obelisk-like columns frame panoramic views in multiple orientations, turning the surrounding landscape into a shifting backdrop.

freestanding columns frame panoramic views of the surrounding forest

abstraction as a framework for use

The massiveness of the columns and slab establishes a sense of permanence and intensity. Light and shadow move across an environment that oscillates between opacity and transparency, evoking what the architects reference as Nietzsche’s ‘X factor’, something fundamentally inaccessible and undefinable. The abstraction of the project is not detached from experience but operates as an extension of a ‘native feeling’.

By keeping the columns formally inexpressive, REST introduces a deliberate vacancy. Furniture and temporary elements become the agents that activate the space. Tables and chairs configure everyday meals or exceptional events within the suspended salon, while columns on the lower and upper levels act as supports for garlands, candles, or canopies, accommodating rituals, celebrations, and social assemblies without prescribing their form in advance.

a curved ramp connects the different strata

the regular grid of green-tinted columns establishes a non-directional field

a terrazzo platform unfolds among ten-meter-tall concrete columns

a non-directional field of ten-meter-tall concrete columns

the lowest stratum follows the site’s natural slope

exaggerated column thickness creates inhabitable voids within the structure

a central opening cuts through the concrete mass

the intermediate layer is suspended beneath the slab

circular openings and dark timber ceilings introduce moments of light and material contrast

the suspended dining salon remains formally restrained

the restaurant presents itself as a mute concrete monument

the monumental slab rests on a forest of columns

the project reads as a compact concrete platform set against the surrounding wooded landscape

project info:

name: REST

architect: Pezo von Ellrichshausen | @pezovonellrichshausen

location: Medongaule Garden, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

building surface: 1,563 square meters indoor, 1,813 square meters outdoor, 3,376 square meters total

site surface: 5,208 square meters

client: Les Jardins de Medongaule

lead architects: Mauricio Pezo & Sofia von Ellrichshausen

collaborators: Emilie Kjaer, Francesco Caminati, Masha Arnold, Manuel Heck, Beatrice Pedrotti, Lukas Vajda

local architect: See Architects

structure: Chang Minwoo

construction: C&O

consultants: Macand Mec Inkok Enc, Rainbowscape

landscape: Jardins de Sericourt / Dongsimwon Landscape Design

photographer: © Pezo von Ellrichshausen

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Spring Playlist is a seasonal retail campaign designed by Dany Vo (Dang Vo) for Shinsegae Department Store, implemented across 13 locations throughout South Korea. The project introduces a visual and spatial system that interprets spring through rhythm, sequence, and gradual transition, drawing conceptual inspiration from music and seasonal change.

The campaign establishes a cohesive identity through the use of soft color palettes, floral graphics, and Shinsegae’s S-check pattern. These elements are applied consistently across exterior facades, interior installations, digital screens, and printed materials, allowing the campaign to operate as a continuous visual experience from the urban context into the retail interior. The ‘playlist’ concept frames the spatial progression as a sequence rather than a single moment, reinforcing continuity across scales and formats.

Artificial intelligence was incorporated into the design workflow primarily during the early visualization and concept development stages. AI-assisted image generation was used to explore compositional variations, floral motifs, and atmospheric qualities before advancing to final production methods. This approach supported rapid iteration and reduced reliance on conventional 3D rendering during the initial phases, allowing design decisions to be refined more efficiently. AI functioned as a supplementary tool, supporting creative exploration while design judgment and manual refinement guided the final outputs.

exterior Shinsegae department store | all images courtesy of Dany Vo

Dany Vo digitally constructs department store’s visual identity

The campaign was developed for a wide range of applications, including outdoor advertising, online media, public digital displays, in-store installations, and physical cut-out elements. The design system was structured to adapt across these formats while maintaining visual consistency across all 13 department store locations. AI-supported workflows contributed to this scalability by enabling efficient adjustment of assets for different spatial and media requirements without compromising the overall identity.

Designer Dany Vo’s approach reflects experience across branding, packaging, illustration, animation, and art direction. His professional background includes roles at Design Army and Hatch Design, and he currently works at FutureBrand, contributing to large-scale branding systems and international campaigns. This multidisciplinary experience informed the integration of concept, technology, and execution throughout the Spring Playlist project.

The campaign received Platinum recognition at the London Design Awards, acknowledging both its visual coherence and its application of emerging technology within a commercial design context. As a seasonal retail initiative, Spring Playlist demonstrates how AI-assisted processes can support efficiency and adaptability while maintaining clarity in concept and execution across complex, multi-site environments.

exterior Shinsegae department store

exterior

entrance

entrance

interior

interior

interior

interior

interior

subway entrance

visuals

pop-up live concert event

Dany Vo is a multidisciplinary designer across illustration, fine art, motion, and branding

project info:

name: Shinsegae – Spring Playlist Campaign

designer: Dany Vo | @dany_vo_

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: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post AI-driven floral graphics visualize seasonal retail campaign for south korean department store appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Renowned architecture firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) reveals a new proposal for the Ulsan Performing Arts Venue in South Korea. Submitted as part of the second phase of an international design competition, the concept presents a ribbon-like structure, envisioning a cultural landmark that bridges the past, present, and future of Ulsan.

BIG reveals a new proposal for the Ulsan Performing Arts Venue in South Korea | all images via @big_builds

two architectural ribbons connect city, river, and public life

The concept by BIG is defined by two sweeping ribbons that extend from opposite directions: one reaching into the urban fabric, the other stretching toward the river. Together, they frame the site while creating a dynamic dialogue between the city and its natural surroundings. Beneath the ribbons, a continuous public realm unfolds, featuring plazas, promenades, and outdoor stages. These open spaces are intended to encourage gathering, performance, and cultural engagement, making the venue not only a place for staged events but also a living public landscape.

With this proposal, the Copenhagen-based firm emphasizes flexibility and openness, allowing the building to host a variety of cultural programs while maintaining visual and spatial connectivity with the surrounding environment. The ribbons themselves become both architectural signature and functional structure, guiding movement across the site and shaping the experience of the venue.

beneath the architectural ribbons, a continuous public realm unfolds

the concept presents a ribbon-like structure, envisioning a cultural landmark that bridges the past, present, and future

the building hosts a variety of programs while maintaining connectivity with the surroundings

the ribbons themselves become both architectural signature and functional structure

project info: 

name: Ulsan Performing Arts Venue
architects: BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) | @big_builds
location: Ulsan, South Korea

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Stocker Lee Architetti completes the MANMADE flagship store for Wooyoungmi in Seoul’s Itaewon district. The 970-square-meter building occupies a compact, curved plot along a slightly inclined road, a condition that becomes the primary design driver of the project. The architects allow the perimeter of the site to define the volume, resulting in an architecture that bends, adjusts, and aligns itself with the movement of the street.

The geometry of the building follows the curvature of the road and sets the tone for the project. The architecture does not compete with its surroundings or the garments it houses but instead constructs a measured spatial framework that supports both.

Exposed concrete, cast using OSB formwork and finished with a mineral glaze, carries visible traces of its making, allowing texture and patina to develop over time. The surface recalls the logic of fabric, with a woven appearance subtly echoing the sartorial world of Wooyoungmi. Glass blocks define the facade, filtering daylight into the interior during the day and transforming the building into a softly glowing volume after dusk. 

all images by Simone Bossi

Stocker Lee Architetti designs a mezzanine-based spatial sequence

The Swiss architects organize the program through a sequence of mezzanine levels connected by a central vertical core that functions as the project’s structural and spatial backbone. Moving through the store becomes a continuous journey, with changing ceiling heights and proportions introducing variation across the exhibition spaces. This sectional strategy allows each area to develop its own character while remaining part of a cohesive whole.

Concrete, glass, steel, stone, and wood form the material palette of the MANMADE flagship store, selected by Stocker Lee Architetti for their structural and functional qualities rather than decorative effect. Their sobriety establishes a neutral yet tactile environment in which the clothing assumes visual priority. The MANMADE flagship store operates as an urban interior that translates site constraints, material logic, and spatial continuity into an understated but highly controlled architectural experience.

Stocker Lee Architetti completes the MANMADE flagship store for Wooyoungmi in Seoul

the 970-square-meter building occupies a compact, curved plot

the architects allow the perimeter of the parcel to define the volume

an architecture that bends, adjusts, and aligns itself with the movement of the street

the geometry of the building follows the curvature of the road and sets the tone for the project

glass blocks define the facade

the glass blocks filter daylight into the interior during the day

transforming the building into a softly glowing volume after dusk

exposed concrete carries visible traces of its making

the surfaces recall the logic of fabric

concrete is cast using OSB formwork and finished with a mineral glaze

the Swiss architects organize the program through a sequence of mezzanine levels

moving through the store becomes a continuous journey

project info:

name: MANMADE flagship

architect: Stocker Lee Architetti | @stockerleearchitetti

client: Wooyoungmi | @wooyoungmi

location: Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea

site area: 490 square meters

gross floor area: 970 square meters

volume: 5,600 cubic meters

photographer: Simone Bossi | @simonebossiphotographer 

The post stocker lee architetti wraps MANMADE seoul with textile-like concrete and glass blocks appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Held from November 3 to 8, 2025, the Department of Industrial Design at Seoul-based Hongik University presented its annual Graduation Exhibition under the theme ‘The Use of Uselessness: What If.’ Moving beyond conventional purpose-centered design, the exhibition serves as an open dialogue between function, emotion, and culture, challenging students to find creative value in concepts that exist beyond conventional utility.

The theme embodies a future-oriented design attitude that celebrates curiosity and imagination, encouraging graduates to break free from binary thinking. From product and mobility to spatial and interaction design, many projects leverage technologies like emotional AI and advanced robotics, reflecting Hongik’s commitment to nurturing designers who understand the evolving relationship between humans, technology, and society with both analytical thinking and creative sensitivity. Below, we dive into some of the standout concepts that showcase the creativity and technical expertise of the next generation of industrial designers.

Hongik University’s annual Industrial Design Degree Show 2025 | all images courtesy of Hongik University

EDEN BY DOHYUN PARK AND SEOKHYUN AHN

EDEN is an AI home ecosystem that moves beyond the functional convenience of standard smart homes to offer true comfort. Inspired by nature, EDEN creates an environment precisely tailored to the user’s emotions and lifestyle through personalized light and scent. By naturally harmonizing technology, EDEN creates a personal ‘Eden’ within the home, offering a next-generation experience where technology supports emotional well-being rather than just functional needs.

EDEN by Dohyun Park and Seokhyun Ahn

HALE BY HYUNBIN SEO

HALE explores how future technologies could shape the next generation of extreme sports by proposing personal flight as a new athletic domain. Beginning with the idea that people continually seek stronger, more immersive forms of thrill, HALE enables users to move freely in three-dimensional space through body-driven control. The project envisions a future where flight becomes an accessible, skill-based activity, dramatically expanding how intensity, challenge, and physical performance are experienced.

HALE by Hyunbin Seo

AETHER BY HWIGU YU

Project ‘AETHER’ is a next-generation Urban Aerial Care System designed to redefine city infrastructure. The system is anchored by a central Mothership, a floating hub buoyed by a lighter-than-air gas envelope, which drifts effortlessly above the urban canopy. Rather than just monitoring, AETHER actively interacts with the city environment through three specialized drone units dedicated to real-time data analysis, rapid emergency response, and logistics support, ensuring the safety and prosperity of its citizens.

AETHER by Hwigu Yu

SHERPA BY JAEHWAN PARK ANDJEON JAEHO

Designed for the physically and mentally demanding environment of modern cultural complex malls, Sherpa is a smart, cart-type companion. It reduces physical burden and provides timely, relevant information, adapting to varied spaces through a contextual automation system. This system shifts between autonomous and manual modes with a simple handle-tilt action, aligning the device’s functions smoothly with the user’s pace and optimizing the overall shopping experience.

Sherpa by Jaehwan Park andJeon Jaeho

ROOT BY EL JYIDI CHAIMAE, WONJEONG PARK AND SI ON LEE 

ROOT imagines a future where technology becomes the only bridge back to nearly disappeared natural environments. Redefining camping, the project features three speculative products: an AI companion robot that guides and supports emotional comfort; an AI-responsive tent that adapts to climate and mood; and an XR nature system that overlays reconstructed ecosystems onto artificial terrains. ROOT invites viewers to reconsider the bond between humanity and nature when reality and simulation converge.

ROOT by El Jyidi Chaimae, Wonjeong Park And Si On Lee

OASIS BY SIHEON SONG

OASIS is an urban green robotics platform that reimagines parks and forests in the city, overcoming their limitations to provide people with refreshing, nature-friendly moments of rest. As robots become everyday companions, spaces must adapt to coexist, transforming into unique robotics platforms that bring not only convenience but also new, restorative experiences to urban life.

OASIS by Siheon Song

HUSH BY SANGEUN PARK

HUSH is a quiet, proactive home AI designed for true rest, exploring how spatial AI can approach people gently. The system offers subtle, emotional suggestions for well-being. For example, ‘The Window’ projects its proactive AI interface like sunlight, ‘The Kettle’ uses steam mist as an AI screen to notify you as if breathing, and ‘The Light’ senses context, breathing together with the user. The space becomes a living, breathing ecosystem that nurtures rest.

HUSH by Sangeun Park

BUBBLIN BY HYUNMIN KIM

Bubblin’ is an AR-glasses service that allows people to explore Seoul instantly, guided by AI and intuitive bubble UI interactions. Designed for efficient leisure, the service eliminates the interruptions of navigation and planning. The AI surfaces highly recommended spots visited by friends or celebrities and naturally guides the user through the city, allowing them to simply move through places they feel drawn to at the moment.

Bubblin by Hyunmin Kim

SOUZ BY JAGYEONG KIM AND HANBOM JANG

SOUZ is a premium retreat brand that merges Korea’s traditional healing principles with a modern lifestyle. Rooted in the medical philosophy of So-uju (the ‘human microcosm’), SOUZ reinterprets Korea’s healing culture. The personalized retreat program focuses on three dimensions — Body, Mind, and Soul — using traditional Korean constitutional diagnosis, bathing culture, and sound therapy inspired by Pungnyu music to help every visitor rediscover their complete self.

SOUZ by Jagyeong Kim and Hanbom Jang

CASA BOTÁNICA BY  JIWOON KIM

Casa Botánica is a lifestyle flagship that translates the natural inspiration and craftsmanship of LOEWE Perfumes and the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize into a continuous sensory experience. Its core concept, Raw Botanica, explores the tension between elegance and rawness. A spatial sequence inspired by the growth cycle of plants guides visitors along a linear path through scent exploration, craft displays, and F&B, inviting them to dwell in the resonance of fragrance, craft, and nature.

CASA BOTÁNICA by Jiwoon Kim

PNEUMA PROTOCOL BY JIWOO LEE AND SEONGHOON AHN

Pneuma Protocol presents a blueprint for extending human perception through the convergence of neural interfaces and robotic bodies. Facilitated by conductive-ink BCI tattoos and a crown-type device, the project envisions a future where humans and robots operate as a single Sensory–Cognitive System. This symbiotic relationship, establishing a new paradigm of co-existence, allows future human personas to act independently and explore a larger world, freed from limited physical environments.

Pneuma Protocol by Jiwoo Lee and Seonghoon Ahn

HERIT BY NAKYEONG LEE AND SEA SONG

HERIT is a discreet stay that preserves the emotional lineage between mothers and daughters. Rooted in GUCCI’s heritage, it transforms shared memories into a quiet language of style. Hidden in Florence, HERIT reveals itself through a ‘secret code’ guiding the pair into a private, timeless refuge. During their stay, the mother’s cherished pieces are reinterpreted and reborn for the daughter, reinforcing the emotional bond and carrying their meaning forward.

HERIT by Nakyeong Lee and Sea Song

PORSCHE MUTANT BY TAERIN KIM

‘MUTANT’ is a car concept designed for enthusiasts in an era when full autonomous driving is the norm, preserving the pure joy of driving. It transforms like a living organism to adapt to any terrain. Normally blending in with other autonomous vehicles, MUTANT allows the user to take control and venture off-road the moment they feel the urge, providing a thrilling, self-driven experience on demand.

Porsche MUTANT by Taerin Kim

NEURAUX BY EUICHAN JEONG

NEURAUX is a fashion item that allows multi-persona users to easily transform and express their diverse selves and personalities according to circumstances. By modifying its appearance structure to suit specific conditions and situations, this single item can create a variety of ‘auras.’ NEURAUX empowers self-expression and self-realization by making fashion dynamic and responsive to the user’s inner state.

NEURAUX by Euichan Jeong

VISION NEURO BY HAESOL MA

Mercedes Vision Neuro utilizes BCI technology to dismantle and reconstruct the traditional mobility framework known as the H-point. Inspired by submarines, the design applies a cylindrical language and a low silhouette. The interior focuses on a seat system that synchronizes with the user’s posture, enabling long-distance touring while keeping the user completely secluded from the outside environment, much like a personal submarine.

Vision Neuro by Haesol Ma

HUDDLE BY HYEOKGYU JANG 

HUDDLE is an inclusive AR platform that transforms live sports into a fully accessible, multi-sensory experience for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing fans. Through real-time visuals, haptics, and gesture-based communication, it brings whistles, chants, and crowd energy to life without relying on sound. More than accessibility, HUDDLE turns every moment into shared emotion, helping every fan feel in sync, connected, and part of the arena.

Huddle by Hyeokgyu Jang

X.RT MACHINA BY JIHOON SEO

X.rt Machina is an off-roader concept that combines robotics and physical AI. The user extends their abilities and senses through the vehicle, using its robotic systems to reach places that are normally inaccessible. The concept focuses on how the machine becomes a true partner in exploration, building personal stories and experiences during the journey.

X.rt Machina by Jihoon Seo

PLOT 12: FROM MUSE TO MAKER BY HYERYEON RHA AND GYEONGSEO CHO

Plot 12 reimagines the influence of the Met Gala by relocating it to Red Hook, a once-industrial neighborhood, and shifting the focus back to creation. Instead of celebrating spectacle, the project highlights designers as makers. Through exhibition and a reinterpreted backstage-inspired environment, Plot 12 proposes a new cultural ecosystem where fashion’s power is used not for display but for community-driven revitalization, sparking long-term change for a city’s creative future.

Plot 12: From Muse To Maker by Hyeryeon Rha and Gyeongseo Cho

project info: 

event: Hongik Industrial Design Degree Show 2025 | @hongik.id.degreeshow 

school: Hongik University | @hongik_university

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HO-UN is a private lakeside residence designed by Seoul-based practice IROJE KHM Architects in Jeonju, South Korea. Located along a lakeside park within a newly developed residential district, the house occupies a prominent site in a city known for its strong association with traditional Korean history and culture. Positioned at the center of the neighborhood, the site benefits from direct visual access to the lake while remaining embedded in an urban context.

The project was conceived as a residential retreat situated between city and nature. The architectural strategy responds to this condition by creating a spatial environment that balances inward-focused living with controlled visual connections to the surrounding landscape. The house is designed to function as both a place of privacy and a structure that maintains dialogue with its immediate context. IROJE KHM Architects reference elements of traditional Korean architecture and reinterpret them through a contemporary architectural language. Rather than reproducing historical forms, the project translates spatial principles and formal characteristics into a modern residential typology. This approach reflects the cultural context of Jeonju while addressing current residential needs.

all images by Sergio Pirrone

IROJE KHM Architects designs Courtyard-Centered Living space

The primary architectural concept is the ‘Gate of Life,’ derived from the traditional Korean element known as Numaru. This feature functions as a framed opening that mediates between interior and exterior conditions. Acting simultaneously as a boundary, a screen, and a visual device, the gate frames views toward the lake and city while regulating exposure and privacy. It operates as a spatial threshold that connects the inward-oriented courtyard with the broader landscape beyond. Outdoor space is organized around a central courtyard based on the traditional Madang. Enclosed on three sides, the courtyard functions as an intermediate space between interior rooms and the surrounding environment. This open void introduces light, air, and visual relief into the house, serving as a spatial buffer and a focal point within the overall layout.

The building’s roof form references the sense of upward movement commonly found in traditional Korean architecture. A simplified, curved A-type eave roof is reinterpreted in a contemporary manner, contributing to the building’s overall silhouette and reinforcing its cultural lineage through form rather than ornament. For the name of the house, studio IROJE KHM Architects selects HO-UN, meaning ‘cloud over the lake,’ which is reflected in the interior spatial arrangement. A family room is positioned above the living room and articulated as a cloud-like volume, creating a vertical spatial relationship between communal areas and reinforcing the project’s connection to its lakeside setting.

HO-UN is a private lakeside residence designed by IROJE KHM Architects in Jeonju, South Korea

the roof form references upward movement found in traditional Korean architecture

the site occupies a central position in the neighborhood with direct views toward the lake

the project is situated at the intersection of urban fabric and natural landscape

the courtyard is enclosed on three sides, creating an intermediate spatial condition

the design balances inward-focused living with controlled visual connections outward

architecture is used to mediate privacy while maintaining dialogue with the surroundings

a cloud-like family room volume is positioned above the living space

traditional Korean architectural principles inform the project’s contemporary language

historical references are translated through spatial strategies rather than direct replication

white airy interiors highlight the ‘cloud over the lake,’ HO-UN, design concept

outdoor space is organized around a central courtyard based on the Madang typology

a curved A-type eave roof defines the building’s contemporary silhouette

the house is conceived as a quiet residential retreat between city and nature

project info:

name: HO-UN

architect: IROJE KHM Architects | @irojekhm_architects

lead architect: HyoMan KIM
location: Jeonju, South Korea

photography: Sergio Pirrone | @sergiopirrone

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: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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ITM Yooehwa Architects completes this ‘Heaven’s Voice’ prayer room at South Korea‘s Handong University, bringing a compact place for reflection shaped by its hillside site and minimalistic concrete expression. The project occupies a small rise at the center of campus, a location the architect immediately recognized for its symbolic nature.

The commission emerged from a donation by an elder of a local church, and the brief invited a chapel that was both modest and purposeful. ‘The site revealed itself,’ lead architect Yoo Ehwa shares. She describes perceiving the contours of the campus as resembling a sheep, with the chosen hill forming its heart. This elevated position allows the subterranean structure to be read from surrounding buildings, with the form of its rooftop cross visible only from the sky and the interior.

images © Yongkwan Kim

meditative interiors by ITM Yooehwa Architects

A very limited budget guided the earliest decisions, leading ITM Yooehwa Architects to eliminate applied finishes and instead focus on the power of form, volume, and light. ‘We had to let meaning come from structure,’ the architect explains. This approach sharpened the emphasis on the building’s core purpose as a prayer room and allowed the design to evolve with a directness that suits the quiet atmosphere the project seeks to create.

The entrance begins at the base of the hill along a sweeping footpath. The sequence rises slowly toward the chapel, with ramps tracing the exterior to maintain a continuous connection between inner and outer experience. These circulatory elements draw from the site’s topography and shape an intentional transition from campus life into a more meditative space.

ITM Yooehwa’s prayer room is compact place for reflection shaped by its hillside site

the symbolic structure and skylight

The prayer room’s entrance maintains the dimensions of a corridor, a deliberate gesture which ITM Yooehwa employs to encourage individuals to enter in solitude. Yoo Ehwa goes on: ‘I wanted people to arrive one by one, as if preparing their hearts.‘ This scale sets the tone for the interior, where simplicity guides the spatial character.

Inside, the room stands free of columns. A cantilevered structural strategy supports the roof and reinforces the symbolic weight of the cross, which anchors the central axis. Seating is arranged to encourage horizontal awareness of the landscape beyond the long window, while a skylight above the cross introduces a vertical beam of daylight.

the prayer room’s entrance maintains the dimensions of a corridor

a prayer room sliced with sunlight

The interplay of horizontal and vertical light creates a shifting atmosphere across the prayer room’s surfaces. Sunlight entering from above draws attention to the cross throughout the day, shaping an experience that evolves with changing conditions. ‘The light gathers and traces the passage of time,’ she continues, describing an intentional engagement with daily rhythms.

This luminous register gives the space a sense of presence despite its compact footprint. ITM Yooehwa’s design frames light as a core architectural element, allowing it to express both orientation and spiritual focus. The simplicity of the envelope heightens this reading, as the absence of finishes foregrounds texture, shadow, and structure.

the rooftop is sliced with a narrow skylight in the form of a cross

the symbolic skylight emphasizes the building’s core purpose as a prayer room

the project occupies a small rise at the center of campus

seating is arranged to exaggerate the landscape’s horizonality

sweeping footpaths shape an intentional transition from campus life into a more meditative space

project info:

name: Handong University Prayer Room ‘Heaven’s Voice’

architect: architect | @ehwayoo

location: Pohang, South Korea

area: 190 square meters
completion: 2023
photography: © Yongkwan Kim

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H&M opens its three-level Seongsu store in Seoul, conceived with SKYnoa as a hyper-transformative cultural stage that unfolds through a sequence of ‘theatrical acts’ shaped by styling, self-expression, and Seoul-specific references. Industrial textures, sculptural installations, and wardrobe-inspired scenography fill the translucent presence of the building, wrapped in a veil-like facade. The milky, backlit skin filters silhouettes and movement, creating a sense of anticipation before entry. At night, the building glows across the narrow alleyways, turning the corner site into a landmark amid Seongsu’s mix of garages, cafés, and workshops.

all images courtesy of H&M

hidden garden hosts blue can installation

On the ground floor, the Shanghai-based designers at SKYnoa establish the first act, where everyday infrastructure is repurposed as sculptural elements, including highway guardrails that appear as display fixtures, while a windshield-wiper installation animates a mirrored wall. Both gesture toward Seongsu’s industrial past. Outside, a hidden garden hosts a blue car installation, a nod to the neighborhood’s automotive history and its once-ubiquitous repair garages. The exposed ceiling extends the raw, workshop-like atmosphere.

A sculptural staircase dipped in H&M red marks the transition between acts. SKYnoa frames it as an intermission, a pause in the narrative where visitors linger, photograph, and reorient themselves. Its bold color punctuates the otherwise muted palette, connecting the raw ground floor with the softer, more intimate upper levels.

H&M opens its three-level Seongsu store in Seoul

From Curated Wardrobes to a Fashion Playground

Moving up, the second floor interprets the building as a walk-through wardrobe. Modular wooden container displays carve the space into a series of closets, each grouping products through a curatorial logic. A walk-in closet inspired by traditional Hanbok fabric introduces a moment of lightness, culminating in a large fabric installation whose airy folds soften the industrial frame and introduce a local cultural reference point.

The top level shifts the emphasis toward personalization and creator-led styling. Under the theme ‘For You, By Me,’ SKYnoa transforms the floor into a content-ready environment where outfits selected by KOLs and local creators are displayed. A runway-like fitting room becomes the spatial anchor, its mirrored surfaces intensifying the sense of immersion and self-observation. Each area can be reconfigured for different creators or events, allowing the store to function as an ongoing content engine rather than a static retail layout.

wrapped in a veil-like facade

the milky, backlit skin filters silhouettes and movement

a hidden garden hosts a blue car installation

unfolding through a sequence of ‘theatrical acts’

industrial textures, sculptural installations, and wardrobe-inspired scenography fill the space

the second floor interprets the building as a walk-through wardrobe

the top level shifts the emphasis toward personalization and creator-led styling

SKYnoa transforms the floor into a content-ready environment

a runway-like fitting room becomes the spatial anchor

a pause in the narrative where visitors linger, photograph, and reorient themselves

a sculptural staircase dipped in H&M red marks the transition between acts

at night, the building glows across the narrow alleyways

turning the corner site into a quiet landmark

the store functions as an ongoing content engine

project info:

name: H&M Seongsu

architect: SKYnoa | @_skynoa
location: Seongsu-dong, Seoul, South Korea
client: H&M | @hm

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