Socially Apt: Co-living in Seoul
The concept of co-living may be a more recent phenomenon in South Korea than in the West, but it’s a concept that has quickly caught on in Seoul, especially as local demographics undergo rapid changes. In particular, an increasing number of professionals are choosing to live independently of their parents, and consider co-living the way of the future.
Developed by SK D&D and opened in August 2018, the latest space to have emerged is t’able, a social apartment in Seoul’s Yeoksam-dong neighbourhood. There are five types of studio apartments available ranging from 21 to 30 square metres in size, while a main lounge and a community room function as public spaces. A residents’ membership service offers a variety of benefits, including a 24-hour concierge service and various community programmes. The design of t’able’s membership lounge was tasked to Joongho Choi, a contemporary industrial designer whose eponymous studio is based in Seoul. Although industrial design and interiors aren’t typically related, for this project it was exactly what the client wanted — a unique and different approach. ‘The perception of interior design in Korea is still somewhat based on decoration or creating a specific atmosphere. As industrial designers, we look at an interior in a different way — we first see how a product or object relates to the space and to people, so we have to approach the space itself more carefully,’ says Choi.
The designer was briefed to create a living space for urbanites who view co-living as an opportunity to connect and interact with others. While most of the building consists of rooms that are used as personal spaces, Choi wanted to create the opposite in the communal area. The design team created a series of different, movable zones with the intention of complementing the private rooms with a shared space that has all the comforts of a home.
‘The challenge in creating this space was making it look like it wasn’t designed only to be functional. We really cared about the flexibility and usability of the space,’ says Choi. He also wanted the space to reflect and incorporate the neighbourhood’s public facilities and the cultural characteristics of the street in order to soften the boundaries between the two spaces.
While Choi launched his studio in 2008 with a portfolio of products including furniture, lighting and electronics, today he and his team balance new product development with commercial projects and interior design. Across the firm’s offerings, Choi’s approach is to focus first on high quality and high function, thenontheemotionalcomponent.‘Ultimately, I want my designs to make people happy. So if a client feels joy when they see my product, or feels good in a space, then I know I’ve created something of worth.’
Text / Irene Lam
Images / Nod Lab
