EYST 1779 Café / T-FP
Text description provided by the architects. The rich Choi’s house in Gyeongju, the symbol of noblesse oblige, was newly launched as a foundation named the ‘House of Choi’. As part of this project, the only western-style building located at the entrance of Gyeongju Gyo-dong Hanok Village was remodeled into a café. While respecting the historical and cultural context of the region, we wanted this project to be a symbol that connects the past and the future.
The key to EYST1779’s architectural concept was brick. It is one of the most commonly used materials for a long time and will be used in the future for ages. Therefore, we thought that bricks would be an appropriate material to talk about the project topic — the connection with the past and the future. We selected red bricks that harmonize with the surrounding Hanoks, and also have a strong presence as a mass. The floors, walls, and ceilings were all made of bricks, expressing the identity and impression of this place more clearly and strongly. Also, we thought the idea of building bricks one by one reminds the stacking of time. Plus, the modern patterns and stainless details applied to the floors, walls, door/window frames, bar, lighting, etc., were a metaphor for the future.
The yard of the old building was full of poorly organized landscaping and trees. We cleaned the central part of the yard to make it a square that welcomes visitors and placed benches with a simple and solid impression so that people can rest more comfortably. The indoor space consists of the main hall with high ceilings and skylights, and four seating areas with different views. We set various directions for each zone and brought beautiful scenery of the garden inside to provide a memorable experience for visitors.
Gyeongju is an ancient city of a thousand years, which has a long and strong historical and cultural context. We want EYST1779 to be a long-lasting, sustainable architecture, not a commercial space that flashes and fades over time.
