CAFÉ H

Seoul, South Korea
Artifical light

Café H is a small café located inside the Hyundai Mokdong Department store. The interior design is warm and simple with an open wood cassette ceiling of the same material as the walls that provide a distinct contrast to the grey stone bar counter and floor. The lighting approach is simple yet straightforward with a lighting grid of diffuse linear lighting that provides soft and uniform illumination to the ceiling cassettes and the surrounding walls. The lighting stays hidden from sight from a distance; when looking up into the cassettes two LED lines equally placed above the ceiling grid become visible. To enhance the counter, additional adjustable spotlights are located in between the ceiling cassettes for localised accents.

PARK 1

Seoul, South Korea
Artifical light

Casper Mueller Kneer refurbished the ground floor of The Hyundai in Park 1, Seoul, providing a new graphical look to this dedicated cosmetic’s floor. A swinging carpet of suspended diffuse disks characterises the central circulation space that is divided into two symmetrical zones. As a second element, downlights are distributed in between the suspended fixtures providing further soft accents. Both elements together create an appealing visual ceiling grid and unify the space. To visually identify the zones with varying cosmetic brands along the sides, circular backlit volumes are dropped from the ceiling helping visitors with product selection. Colour temperature and colour rendering were carefully considered for the best rendering and visibility of exhibited products. Light levels were balanced between transitional spaces and other department store floors.

Seoul, Korea
Artificial lighting

The new architectural identity for Handsome Corporation’s TIME brand has been designed by Casper Mueller Kneer Architects in collaboration with Lichtvision Design. Three main design elements define the space – the custom designed terrazzo flooring with different shades of beige and blue insets, the walls plastered in natural clay and the open grid ceiling which creates a continuous, luminous horizon.

The lighting elements are reduced to a minimum. The open grid ceiling is fully backlit to reveal an overall endless luminous horizon. Additional directional spots are integrated into the backlit ceiling to enhance the product display. Cove lighting was installed to remove backdrop shadows from the product display and to provide vertical illumination, so the space feels light and fresh. The new design concept is to be carried out in various stores in Seoul and South Korea.