‘The moment you step through the door, you’re met with a story—crafted by the atmosphere and space left behind by a host with an exceptional eye for detail.’
Z_Lab is committed to designing narratives where a work of architecture is completed through experience – situated between the everyday and the extraordinary – primarily through the medium of stays. Over the past ten years, their work has played a significant role in establishing the stay as an independent genre with its own place in the market. Reflecting on the spaces they have created mainly in Jeju, SPACE spoke with them about the development, evolution, and future of the stay. Editor
Bang: Based on all these experiences, I imagine Z_Lab has built up some internal know-how or a set of shared guidelines over time.
Kang: One of the biggest differences between Z_Lab and a typical architecture firm is that we see the process through all the way to the final step of actual use. We design with everything in mind – bedding, curtains, tableware, furniture, s...
*You can see more information on the SPACE No. August (2025).
*Subscribers can browse through E-Magazine right now. >> Available Here
Noh Kyungrok
Noh Kyungrok graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in architectural engineering and began his career at the architectural firm 2105. In 2014, he co-founded Z_Lab with Lee Sangmuk and Park Junghyun, leading the team to uncover regional identities through a total design approach. In 2015, he co-founded the stay platform STAYFOLIO, and currently serves as co-principal of Z_Lab, overseeing its architectural division.
Kang Haecheon
Kang Haecheon earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architectural engineering from Sungkyunkwan University. He spent six years at See Architects before founding flat1103 in 2016, where he focused on small-scale residential and commercial projects. He joined Z_Lab in 2018 and now serves as principal of Z_Lab Architects. He also teaches as an adjunct professor in the department of architecture at Sungkyunkwan University.
Z_Lab
Z_Lab is a design collective that builds places and spaces anchored in personal narratives. Their scope spans planning, branding, architectural design, spatial design, and styling—all with the aim of offering new interpretations and experiences of what it means to stay somewhere. Architectural design is led by Noh Kyungrok, while brand and styling direction is overseen by Park Junghyun. Since 2018, the team has collaborated through a licensed architecture office, Z_Lab Architects. Notable projects include Around Follie, Owol School, Janwol, Breathe Hotel Yangyang, and Stay Nureut.
