House of Sulwhasoo
Project Case Study

The Bukchon Hanok Village is a Korean traditional village in Seoul, composed of many alleys and Hanoks (traditional Korean architecture), and is preserved to show a 600-year-old historical environment.

As you make your way slowly up the main road through Gahoe-dong, and between the royal palaces of Gyeongbukgung and Changdeokgung, you will soon find a Hanok residence that blends in naturally with its surroundings.

The Sulwhasoo’s Bukchon flagship store combines a Hanok residence built during the 1930s with a Yangok (Western architecture) residence built during the 1960s. The exterior walls of the compound is lit by KONA, and the design intention was for the Hanok section of the residence to be completely visible from the outside.

The Head Architect of ONE O ONE Architects, Choi Wook, took the lead in the architectural elements of the House of Sulwhasoo project. He determined that the open space between the roof and the floor is key to a Hanok building, removed the embankment dividing the two properties, and created an open courtyard to connect the Hanok and Yangok houses.

Entering the space, the interior is beautifully lit with ECLIPSE 48V, the wood accent evoking a warm welcome to the shoppers. To preserve the more traditional elements of the two buildings, Choi kept the original pillars and rafters from the Hanok and the structural framework of the Yangok as much as possible.

Moving inwards, Sulwhasoo uses the basement and part of the first floor of the Yangok for its Boutiques. The shoppers are greeted by a open, western-style architecture, where they can shop comfortably and experience products exclusive to the flagship store.