SPACE May 2026 (No. 702)
Muke Samcheong-dong [2026, Architect – AGIT STUDIO (Seo Jamin, Huh Guenil), Construction – J Construction (Site Manager, Lee Sedon)]
Architect Kim Heon’s Vortex was converted into a private roastery café, antique gallery, and seminar space. Having passed through several owners, the Vortex had accumulated layers of additions that made its original character difficult to read. AGIT STUDIO took the restoration of the building’s essential nature ‒ through extensive demolition ‒ as its starting point. To bring a new order to a non-orthogonal building without a clear reference point, square granite was laid on the floor and a canopy that mirrors it was added above. The sweeping walls and a ten-metre-high void are preserved as they were, becoming the protagonists of the space.
Muke Samcheong-dong
Kim: Revisiting the work of a senior architect is a highly specific situation. In Muke Samcheong-dong, what informed the decision to ‘begin by actively removing’ elements from a building that still carried the intentions of another architect? After all, the additions themselves must have responded to needs at the time.Huh: Muke Samcheong-dong was indeed a somewhat exceptional case compared to our previous renovation projects. The Vortex by Kim Heon was not a typical residential building but rather closer in nature to a pavilion. We understood it as a building capable of functioning as an anchor, drawing people in, almost like an art gallery. Architecturally, we believed that in order to generate that sense of attraction, it was crucial to preserve the original form as much as possible. Therefore, everything except the original form was boldly removed, and we approached the project by revealing the structure itself.
Even after preserving the original form, the building remained in a very chaotic state. The drawings were already disordered, and the construction process seemed to add further complexity. It was a wild condition without clear reference points; not all amorphous buildings lack reference points. I thought it was important to maintain that roughness, and in order to achieve a truly minimal intervention I even avoided drawing lines that would attach to the existing lines of the building. Originally, Muke Samcheong-dong began first, but as we received an additional commission for Muke Deungchon-dong midway, Seo’s influence on the Samcheong-dong project became greater. I was curious about how he would approach it. As soon as she began, she started drawing by attaching lines to the existing Vortex. (laugh) Although this work might appear to involve somewhat passive intervention at first glance, from my perspective, it became a very active intervention.
Seo: When we first encountered the Vortex, it had passed through multiple owners, accumulating various additions for convenience—external spaces had been enclosed, and it had become difficult to read the building’s original form. It was as if all its breathing openings had been blocked. To return it to its original, open, and somewhat uncomfortable state we carried out extensive demolition. I considered that to be the starting point.In this project, it is also necessary to discuss the programme. Muke is a roastery well known among those familiar with coffee. The client also collects antiques from various periods, and operates a gallery, Eastloupe, in which to exhibit them. Through the process, including Muke Deungchon-dong, we came to think that these objects could become the protagonists of the building. In that sense, the architectural qualities of this building could instead align wel...
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Seo Jamin
Seo Jamin earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in architecture from Yonsei University and the University of Pennsylvania, respectively. She worked at SAMOO Architects & Engineers and ONE O ONE architects. In 2013, she co-founded AGIT STUDIO, and since 2017, she has been leading the practice as Principal Architect. In 2021, she was selected for the Architectural Human Resources Development Programme by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), and in 2023, she received the Young Architect Award from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. She has taught at Korea University and is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Architecture at Yonsei University.
Huh Guenil
Huh Guenil earned a Bachelor’s degree in architecture from Korea University. He is a recipient of the 25th Tai Soo Kim Architectural Travelling Fellowship. He gained worked across various projects at SAMOO Architects & Engineers and Stocker Lee Architetti in Switzerland. In 2013, he co-founded AGIT STUDIO, and since 2023, he has been leading the office as Co-Principal Architect. In 2021, he was selected for the Architectural Human Resources Development Programme by the MOLIT, and he is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Architecture at Korea University.
Ki Jun Kim
Ki Jun Kim received his Bachelor’s degree from the Department of Architecture at Korea University, a masterʼs degree from Universität der Künste Berlin and studied at ETH Zurich. He practiced at ISON Architects, Peter Zumthor, Barkow Leibinger, and Diener & Diener Architekten, and later founded Atelier KI JUN KIM. His work is based on his interest in ‘Dialogue, Collective Memory, Potential of Antitheses’, and he is currently a Professor at the Department of Architecture at Korea University. His ‘House by the Wall’ project was selected as the 2024 Project of the Year (da! Architektur) by the Chamber of Architects, Berlin.
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