Q. The diagram introducing the meaning of COM on the homepage is fun. What does COM stand for? 

There are so many English words that start with 'COM'. Comet, compact, complicate, complete, and more. We've listed various words in the diagram. The notion is that 'Like a comet appearing, we quickly handle things, create complexity, and wrap up,' capturing this uniquely in a cheerful way through COM.

Q. The meeting of director Han Ju-won's stage design and director Kim Se-jung's spatial design is intriguing.
How has this combination influenced the color of COM? 

Since our undergraduate days, we've trained to view spaces with fixed viewpoints where there are seats and a stage, so we tend to value the first impressions of a space. Although Se-jung majored in spatial design, he has always been keen on furniture itself, creating unique points and details that stand out the moment you step into a space. It seems both of us think of space as a stage rather than a flat plane.

Personally, I've learned to visualize scripts, so when designing interiors or furniture, I enjoy starting from the project's nature. Se-jung similarly designs, drawing hints from the project's character. Even using a color, we try to find reasons and legitimacy behind it.

Ⅰ. BONANZA Coffee Gunja

Ⅱ. HYBE Office

Q. Since 2015, you’ve continued numerous projects based in Seoul. 
Please introduce projects representing COM, such as Bonanza Coffee Gunja, HYBE Office. 

Ⅰ. Bonanza Coffee, a German brand, entered Asia as a sort of flagship store. Initially, the client wanted an 'impression like Berlin,' a very abstract sense. Neither Se-jung nor I have been to Berlin. Starting from such abstract words, we tend to explore areas meticulously via Google Street View (laughs).

At Bonanza Coffee Gunja, you'll notice green windows. Originally, the buildings were too close, making a nearby Taekwondo studio visible. When choosing the color for the window blinds, we adopted the idea that all public toilets and wooden panels in Berlin are green. The chair legs were sled-like to avoid loud dragging noises. Overall, the Bonanza project was faithful to the concept of an 'honest café without fuss.'

Ⅱ. The HYBE Office similarly followed a design brief, fulfilling the given conditions. If you look at the office ceilings, you'll see a repeated arch shape with pipes running below. This was not just for visual uniqueness; it was due to the client's request to minimize monitor glare.

You'll see the ceiling composed entirely of indirect lighting, which maintains a certain brightness level above the tables. The passing pipes also consider the unique office environment where meeting rooms often appear and disappear. The pipes allow for mobile racks where doors or walls can create temporary meeting rooms. The project proposed a dynamic office, freely utilizing space.

Q. Is there a consistent perspective or theme that runs through the works of design studio COM?

Nowadays, design consumption is rapid, and lifecycles are short. It seems like designs quickly evaporate by merely referencing, repeating, and diluting instances. Lacking originality, focusing only on sophistication brings errors, and without originality, they soon become stale and vanish.

We hope the shelf life of interior design is extended. To achieve this, like the Bonanza or HYBE projects, it's crucial to faithfully execute conditions and ensure there's a story in the design. COM invests considerable effort in finding narratives or hints from the start of a design.

Q. The tastefully understated use of wood materials stands out. What is the charm of wood? 
Is there a new material you’re interested in these days?

Lim Ji-won:
The materials we typically handle are mostly cold, like metal or glass. There's nothing like wood to balance out those materials. It feels complete when wood is incorporated—whether with metal, glass, or wood. This balance is considered when designing an entire space or a single piece of furniture, which perhaps makes wood a naturally frequented choice.

Wood's unique warmth and texture make it personally favorable for areas directly touching the skin. I value these detailed combinations.

Han Ju-won:
Recently, casting has piqued my interest. Metal, glass, and wood usually come in predetermined units, which we often cut and use in designs, resulting in more 'design-like' products. With casting, there's a crafting element of molding and carving to expect new forms that computers can't foresee.

Mangrove Dongdaemun Cafe Travertine

Mangrove Dongdaemun Welcome Lounge

Q. You envisioned a 'big house' when planning the entire storyline and concept for Mangrove Dongdaemun. 
Could you describe the interior concept of this project?

Lim Ji-won:
Initially approached with cliché house features like a large roof and cross windows, it ended up distanced from a real home, akin to a set. We diverted focus to the primal comfort of home, drawing the abstract keywords of atmosphere and mood into imagery through materials and shapes.

Han Ju-won:
The first floor, with the welcome lounge, was designed as a living room, while the underground floors were thought of as utility rooms and libraries, as if for a large extended family. We kept the simple drawing of a house (like a kindergarten child's crude sketch of a triangular roof and cross window) in mind throughout the Mangrove Dongdaemun project.

Q. As a co-living house, this must have been an experimental project unlike other space projects. 
How did you approach remodeling the challenge of making the hotel-like structure and spatial features suitable for residence?

Han Ju-won:
Business hotels have distinct entrances. To tailor Mangrove's impression, each legal aspect was reviewed to transform the large windbreak room area into the current automatic door and café space. There were many divided spaces, like the bathhouse in the basement. Once demolished and emptied, much thought was given to how efficiently to articulate the spaces.

The guest rooms were particularly studied. With Mangrove Dongdaemun rooms being almost the same size as Japanese capsule hotels, we adopted a bathroom layout from Nakagin Hotel, naturally securing other spaces.

Lim Jae-nam:
From the perspective of actual residents, there are common points with typical homes but surely upgraded experiences. Everyone dreams of big houses but lives in small ones due to constraints. We tried leveraging hotel-specific spatial attributes like high ceilings, spacious lounges, and splendid rooftops to fulfill these aspirations.

Mangrove Dongdaemun Work Station

Mangrove Dongdaemun Single Room

Q. Various common spaces are unique to co-living houses. 
Were there particular focal points in each space?

Lim Ji-won:
For the high-ceilinged first floor, we discussed making it transparent with glass and having a massive structural-like light. Reflecting the 'home' keyword, the lighting needed visual comfort, hence the design of lights with semi-transparent glass to hide the light source. Wall lights across the area also avoided direct light exposure through material choice.

With furniture, when sharp edges meet hands, it can feel disconcerting. Thus, lounge chairs, general chairs, all have rounded edges to provide a sense of ease.

Lim Jae-nam:
The layout of the first basement's common area was arranged to cater to both introverts and extroverts. The spacious lounge visible right off the elevator is the most open, interactive spot. Progressively transitioning inwards, we aimed to reflect public-to-private space division features.

Q. Long project durations naturally lead to spaces with tales of ups and downs.
If there’s a space that’s grown on you, where might it be? 

Lim Jae-nam:
The guest rooms were perhaps the biggest challenge, needing a comfortable, cozy design, livable for one without feeling cramped. Given the reference, there was pressure to improve, bringing numerous trials and suggestions.

Lim Ji-won:
Looking at Japan's Nakagin Hotel bathrooms, there's a diagonal detail, seemingly trivial, but being in the space, it feels open and vast. Straight pathways often constrict but angling them frees visions, creating a visual openness. Adopting this detail untangled much of the guest room layout.

Mangrove Dongdaemun Stay 201 | COM Edition

Stay 201 is a special art stay where you encounter high-sensitivity design furniture and lighting throughout the guest room.

Q. Stay 201 allows for an in-depth encounter with Design Studio COM’s high-sensitivity furniture 
and lighting. What kind of spatial experience did you imagine when planning this? 

Lim Ji-won:
We intended to somewhat align the basic form and materials with Mangrove's external spaces, yet we envisioned staying divergent in atmosphere. As a COM Edition room, reflective of COM's introverted nature, we conceived it with a calm, toned-down mood.

We thought there should be at least one unique lighting type. Thus, we designed a pendant light covered in semi-transparent material, resonating with external ceiling lights and wall fixtures.

Han Ju-won:
The goal was to craft a mood where you'd want to enjoy a drink with only this pendant light on. We hope guests can experience a serene, private stay at Stay 201.

Q. What kind of space is home to each of you three? With the Mangrove Dongdaemun project, 
are there traces of personal values and beliefs about home from the three of you?

Lim Ji-won:
As a homebody, home is incredibly important to me. It’s where beloved things are chaotically yet comfortingly scattered. Early in Mangrove's guest room design, we explored furniture that allows variation. I thought it would be nice for residents to customize it to their tastes. Though realistic challenges emerged, this concern remained prominent throughout.

Han Ju-won:
Our home has my collections spread on the floor, not particularly tidied. I enjoy directly picking from the floor to play. I feel at ease with exposed belongings. That’s why we designed single rooms considering space for a 32-inch suitcase under the bed. We maximized efficiency in storage to accommodate guests bringing many personal items.

Q. What do you obsess over most or consider most important during work? 

Lim Ji-won:
Director Ju-won jokingly advises, 'Let’s not create an anxious design,' which lingers often. Anxiety, to me, denotes unnecessary additions. Something that feels overdone or tries to stand out unnecessarily. We strive to avoid this by pursuing convincing designs.

Lim Jae-nam:
Similarly, I constantly seek purpose. Designing involves persuading others, so I must first convince myself for peace of mind. Lack of a persuasive point is unsettling. (laughs)

Q. Mangrove is known for its dynamic community. With team members from various backgrounds,
Design Group COM might also be seen as a small community. What does ‘working together’ mean to you three? 

Han Ju-won:
Within us, roles are defined. Someone initiates work and shifts the axis, another ties things together with insights, and another consolidates into detailed drawings and papers. These roles rotated among us, maintaining balance.

Lim Jae-nam:
Mangrove Dongdaemun was our first and only project managed equally by the three of us. This novelty was thoroughly enjoyable. Particularly with Ji-won’s complementary opposite nature to mine, mutual reinforcement was beneficial, and Director Ju-won quietly provided direction from the back, maintaining our equilibrium.

Q. What is the atmosphere like in the COM studio? 

Han Ju-won:
Lee Jeong-gil, our contact from Lee Gak Construction who built Mangrove Dongdaemun, described COM’s studio as 'the best among all studios he’s visited.' Usually, it's dimly lit by stand lamps, creating a nice drinking vibe at night. The furniture doesn’t match, consisting of mock-ups and quirky pieces not quite reaching their final forms, giving it a warehouse feel.

Q. Where and when do you feel most yourself? 

Lim Ji-won:
Playing with my dog, Seol! A 3-year-old white terrier with a big nose, extremely cute.

Lim Jae-nam:
With my family. Especially close to my younger sister. Though not meeting often, we have a strong bond.

Han Ju-won:
Listening to music and drinking. Often spending such time alone.

Q. What is the vision or blueprint that Design Studio COM is crafting for the future? 

Han Ju-won:
We have a small team, hoping new members harmonize well with current ones, maintaining the atmosphere to work comfortably and long-term.

Lim Jae-nam:
Hoping for continued collaborative harmony. Further, as an early member, I aim to adeptly fulfill intermediary roles.

Lim Ji-won:
COM feels intimate and relaxed like a club. Design work thrives in this open environment. My hope is for this atmosphere to endure.

Text | Shin Da-bomi

Photo | COM, Son Mi-hyun, Lee Seok-hyun