The art of minimalism | T-FP

The art of minimalism
极简场域

When the times slow down, the design gradually shifts from large and extensive planning to small and refined construction, and the diversified lifestyle can stretch its bud. Life aesthetics, such as homestays and community shops, highlight individual unique tastes, but instead build a vital art of sustainable life. This paper introduces the poetic field created by Korean design studio T-FP for several commercial shops and brands with exquisite and concise language, and shows a fine case of the landscape sinking into a subdivided small-scale space in line with the trend.

01
红砖咖啡馆
EYST 1779

T-FP (The First Penguin) 2022年

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 original chaotic landscape and trees in the cafe yard have been cleaned up and transformed into a pure and empty welcome square, with several groups of simple and solid wooden benches for people to stay or rest 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.

02
开在海角的寂静酒店
IJE Namhae

T-FP (The First Penguin) 2022年

Today’s “stay stay” refers to the space and place to stay. It is not only accommodation facilities, but also puts forward new experiences. In the process of being asked to reconsider the meanings of “travel”, “home”, “stay” and “leave”, the context of Steiner is being reorganized extensively. In this special edition, Brick wants to convey the value through space and several clear States of the story. In every space, the suggestions made by architects, designers and operators are finally consistent with the changing contemporary lifestyle. From rest in nature, voluntary isolation, work and life, sports and cultural activities, and non-daily experience in beautiful architectural space, it is different from the process of rediscovering the significance of travel in this era to observe the trajectory of various attempts on the boundary between daily and non-daily.

The end of the land facing the dark sea

There is water in the east of the South China Sea, and there are few low buildings along my shallow sea shore. Among them, on the road near the well-known Jinchuan village, the buildings standing quietly on the sea outside the door that opened slowly like warm hospitality attracted people’s attention. This is the newly renovated hotel “Now South China Sea” with a softer impression. Like most seaside villages, I pass by aimlessly, not only in remote places, but also on the way back, so there is no such common car noise here. Birds singing and wind blowing freely between the sea and the land, and the deep and vivid traces left by the water in the past are unique. So now the South China Sea starts with the distinctive scenery created by the land.

The time of induction through new senses

What kind of story can space tell in such a quiet place? You can only sit in the guest room and look at the place where the water passes, which can be said to be a rest, but this is a unconvincing concept when the accommodation facilities at sea show their respective horizons. Therefore, the designer once again focused on the unique Chiyao landscape formed by the earth. Quiet environment is a good condition to awaken the sense of dullness from all kinds of noise. In the process of opening the feelings one by one, you can meet the heart you missed before, or you can move that heart immediately and move in another direction. This is the process of healing and recovery. In this way, the theme of “opening up feelings and inducing induction” has now become the main concept of the South China Sea. This is the result of observing the context of the earth or structure, starting from the general method of attractive design, and actively considering the content contained in the space. In order to make the hotel and other commercial facilities operate normally, not only in the architectural space, but also operators and designers who know that brand and operation are equally important work side by side on the three elements.

Like most sea villages, there are no noisy and popular destinations here, and the buildings have retreated a lot to the road, shielding the common car noise, and only the waves, the free birds singing on the land and the wind can be heard. What catches your eye is the vivid scenery left by the sea, and all sensory experiences begin with the vivid scenery created here.

Reminisce about the old times with new experiences. What kind of story can space tell in such a quiet place? If you can only sit in the guest room and look at the sea view, it can be said to be a kind of rest, but it is very unconvincing in the area where the sea view room is the gimmick everywhere. Therefore, the designer once again focused on the inherent elements of the landscape formed by the earth, carving a unique quiet environment, which can make people peel away from all kinds of messy environments instantly.

In the process of space experience one after another, gradually shielding the external sight and opening up the inner world of self, which is the process of healing and recovery. Thus, the theme of “opening the feeling and inducing the feeling” is the core goal of the design.

03
绿茵石壁民居
NAAHA

T-FP (The First Penguin) 2023年

“NAAHA” is a private pool villa located in Jiaping City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. T-FP is responsible for the application design of space design, construction and guidance. The theme of its comprehensive concept is “breaking through the wall and living in the wall”.

Imagine the relaxation and comfort of “a day under a tree”, and the designer defined the general direction of the overall design as soft comfort, creating a unique and unforgettable Jing Ya experience for the lodging place.

The outdoor functional space has a swimming pool area and a leisure area. The swimming pool area has an entrance wall as a shield to keep a certain degree of privacy, while the leisure area is located on the other side to form an open social area. The floor-to-ceiling glass of the kitchen is facing it to form a certain interaction. In addition, all the redundant decorations are erased in the residence, and only the floor and furniture are decorated with wood materials of different shades to keep the inside and outside pure and transparent.