Cafe Jenial
- LOCATION
- Magok, Seoul
- SCALE
- 39㎡
- PURPOSE
- Cafe
- SERVICES
- Space Design, Construction, Furniture Fabrication
- BUDGET RANGE
- KRW 44,000,000
- YEAR
- 2022
"New towns have no heritage. That’s exactly why people want spaces that do."
New towns have no heritage. That’s exactly why people want spaces that do.
The site for Cafe Genial was no different. It sits on the ground floor of a typical building in Magok, a planned district in Seoul, in a space that used to be a phone shop wrapped in glass partitions. Neither the space nor its surroundings had any heritage or warmth to draw on. That lack became the starting point for the design.
The conditions got harder from there. The space was narrow and long, and since it’s a roastery cafe, room for roasting had to be carved out inside as well.
Within these limits, takeout made up a relatively large share of sales. That’s why care went into setting the takeout front apart, tight as the space was. Dark stained wood framing and arched windows form the facade, with the door and window sitting side by side under the COFFEE sign. The glass door carries the lettering “Café Genial Espresso Bar.”
The arch on the facade has a reason behind it. A slight round was worked into the window corners, giving the space a softer, more sculptural feel, and that curve carries through to the tables. In the narrow, long space, the work area was claimed first and the tables took what was left. Rounding the table corners let the tables hold as much surface as possible without making the walkway feel cramped, a balance worked out down to the detail.
The result: four tables with three stools each, twelve seats fit into roughly 10 square meters. Enough for office workers dropping by on their lunch break to sit and rest for a bit.
Every detail in the space works to fill in the warmth that was missing to begin with. Round walnut toned mirrors and dome shaped bracket lights repeat down the wall, and dark wood stools pull up to round tables set on white pedestal legs. A La Marzocco espresso machine and grinder sit on the counter, and past a yellow gingham curtain a display case shows off scones and cookies. Through the arched windows, Magok’s office towers and a Mirae Asset sign hang in view.
This is why minimal Art Deco became the motif. Art Deco is a style that’s classic and still trendy at once. On a site with no heritage of its own, the cafe brought in the weight of the classic.