Il.ee Café

Il.ee Café

SUBTEXT

Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee

ARCHITECTS
Subtext

BI DESIGNER
Kyu-chan Lee

SPATIAL DESIGNERS
Jang-eun Won, Eun-young Kim, Min-a Kim

PHOTOGRAPHS
Young-hyun Lee

AREA
83 M²

YEAR
2021

LOCATION
Seongdong-gu, South Korea

CATEGORY
Coffee Shop Interiors

Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee

CAPTURED MOMENTS

The space changes with every moment and is influenced by various 'relationships' such as between people, between people and objects, between people and space, and even with the weather and moods.

Therefore, designing a space may involve looking beyond the completion of construction to envision the space as it evolves over time. The team at Subtext, along with clients, collaborating firms, and artists, forms relationships that extend beyond the visible outcomes of space design.

Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee
Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee

These relationships and activities continue even after a project ends, providing joy in co-creating the world and giving meaning to our lives.

Il.ee Cafe began with the theme "Captured Moments," focusing not merely on the visible design but on the relationships that fill the space with each passing moment.

Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee
Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee

In front of the cafe, the verdant greenery of the street trees and the shadows cast by the sunlight, the furniture filled with various stories by the artists, and the diverse expressions of people—all these moments are quietly awaited by the "Captured Moments Wall" (main metal wall).

This "Captured Moments Wall" was designed to randomly and continuously capture each moment, showing clear and blurred parts and smooth and rough textures equally. Depending on the metal texture, the same material can appear different, and the displayed appearance changes with the artworks exhibited every two months.

Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee
Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee

Apart from the coffee counter and the furniture where visitors can enjoy their coffee and space, we wanted to preserve the original finishes of the building.

The floors are marked with the passage of time, and the walls and ceilings that show the layers of years are finished with minimal touches, respecting their aged state and the desire to use them for a long time in a world accustomed to rapid consumption.

Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee
Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee

The fixed furniture is structured around the existing pillars, intentionally focusing attention on the displayed artworks.


Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee
Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee
Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee
Il.ee Café
© Young-Hyun Lee


Il.ee Café
Plan