Architectural Cases

SOA Architekti has unveiled a captivating interior for "The Kimchi," a new restaurant situated adjacent to Prague's historic Masaryk Railway Station. This establishment, once a pastry shop, has been reimagined to embody the lively essence of Korean street food, offering a fresh and dynamic dining experience. The design, spearheaded by SOA Architekti for a Korean husband-and-wife duo, seamlessly integrates authentic daily-prepared Korean cuisine with an architectural language that echoes the visual vibrancy of Seoul and the modern influences of Korean pop culture.

The restaurant's core ethos centers on delivering Korean street food that is both rapid and easily accessible, without compromising on quality or freshness. A key aspect of this commitment is the daily preparation of ingredients and a deliberate limitation on the number of servings. The operational flow is strategically divided into two interlinked sections: the primary food preparation, involving fresh ingredients, takes place in the concealed back-of-house kitchen, while the final plating and assembly of each dish occur at a prominent serving counter, openly visible to diners. This transparent setup not only optimizes efficiency but also fosters a direct connection between the culinary process and the customer's dining experience.

Prague's "The Kimchi" Embraces Korean Street Food Aesthetics

SOA Architekti's design for "The Kimchi" restaurant in Prague masterfully captures the essence of Korean street food culture, translating Seoul's vibrant energy into an engaging interior space. The concept focuses on delivering fresh, high-quality, and accessible Korean street food, with daily prepared ingredients ensuring premium taste. The restaurant's layout uniquely positions the final food assembly at an open counter, allowing guests to witness the culinary process firsthand, thereby fostering a transparent and interactive dining experience that emphasizes both efficiency and fresh preparation.

Situated near Prague's Masaryk Railway Station, "The Kimchi" represents a modern interpretation of Korean culinary tradition within a contemporary architectural framework. The interior design, a collaborative effort between architects, graphic designers, and the clients, introduces a dynamic wave motif inspired by the Korean flag, which extends across various elements, from exterior signage to wall graphics, creating a cohesive visual narrative. This motif, coupled with a bold color scheme of blue, red, and orange, infuses the space with Seoul's distinct visual energy and the playful spirit of Korean pop culture. The restaurant's design thoughtfully blends aesthetic appeal with functional design, allowing for an immersive experience that reflects the restaurant's commitment to both cultural authenticity and modern dining trends.

Dynamic Design and Interactive Dining at The Kimchi

The visual identity of "The Kimchi" is a testament to collaborative creativity, shaped by the architects, a graphic designer, and the owners. A captivating wave motif, subtly referencing the Korean flag, acts as a unifying design element, threading through the exterior signage, serving counter, and interior graphics. This motif creates a fluid visual link between the architectural components and the restaurant's graphic branding, establishing a strong and recognizable identity.

A striking color palette of blue, red, and orange defines the restaurant's interior. Blue dominates the tables, bench seating, wall finishes, and lighting, forming a consistent and calming base layer. Red grout strikingly highlights the white tile grid, while a textured orange mesh above the counter introduces an additional layer of material and color. These carefully chosen elements collectively craft a visual identity that deeply connects the interior space with its Korean cultural roots. The seating arrangements are thoughtfully designed to cater to various dining preferences, including window seats for a street view, communal tables for group dining, and convenient takeaway services. This flexible layout, combined with the open serving counter where guests can observe their meals being prepared, creates an engaging and dynamic dining environment. The overall design harmoniously blends urban dining speed with the rich heritage of Korean street food, establishing a distinct architectural presence.

Kinzo Architekten has unveiled an ambitious proposal to revitalize Tilla-Durieux-Park, a lengthy green stretch bordering Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. The core of their vision is a 100-meter outdoor swimming pool, designed to transform the park's central axis into a vibrant, year-round recreational corridor. This initiative seeks to inject new life into an area known more for its commercial and tourist appeal than its public spaces, encouraging both locals and visitors to linger and engage with their surroundings.

The design concept, dubbed 'proximity activation,' aims to attract regular users by offering a diverse range of activities. Beyond the striking central pool, which will feature lap lanes and timber decking, the park is envisioned to include padel and basketball courts, beach volleyball facilities, and a calisthenics zone. A designated water playground will cater to younger visitors, while a communal table nestled within a tree grove will foster social interaction, transforming the park into what Kinzo co-founder Karim El-Ishmawi describes as 'the living room of Potsdamer Platz.' The elongated shape of the pool elegantly leverages the park's narrow geometry, creating a visually compelling urban feature.

A notable aspect of Kinzo's design is its provision for year-round usability, even during Berlin's colder months. A translucent canopy, supported by curved timber ribs, will enclose the pool, allowing swimmers to enjoy the water while remaining connected to the snowy landscape outside. This seasonal adaptation extends to other areas of the park, with renderings depicting a winter Christmas market among snow-dusted trees, ensuring the park remains a lively destination regardless of the weather. This forward-thinking approach underscores the project's potential to establish a consistent rhythm of activity within the urban landscape.

This visionary project by Kinzo Architekten represents a profound commitment to enhancing urban quality of life and fostering community engagement. By reimagining Tilla-Durieux-Park as a multi-functional recreational destination, the proposal addresses the challenge of underutilized public spaces in dense urban environments. It demonstrates how innovative design can transform transient areas into vibrant hubs, inspiring a greater sense of belonging and well-being among city dwellers and enriching the urban fabric for generations to come.