Pezo von Ellrichshausen Designs Concrete Restaurant for South Korean Botanical Garden
In a bold architectural statement, the Chilean practice Pezo von Ellrichshausen has completed a unique dining and leisure facility, christened "Überhaus," within the picturesque Les Jardins de Médongaule in South Korea's Gyeonggi Province. This impressive structure, distinguished by its sixteen towering green concrete columns, not only provides a sophisticated restaurant experience but also offers an expansive rooftop terrace with panoramic views. Situated in a newly developed botanical garden complex northeast of Seoul, the building is conceptualized as a place of both sustenance and tranquility, aptly referred to by its creators as "Rest."
The Überhaus, towering at ten meters, is meticulously organized around a precise square grid of columns. A robust concrete slab, matching the columns' thickness, horizontally bisects the structure at its midpoint. This slab forms the foundation for a vast open-air terrace, where a circular balustrade delineates areas for public access, inviting visitors to enjoy the elevated perspective. Beneath this terrace, the main dining area, capable of accommodating 100 patrons, is ingeniously suspended between the concrete slab and the gently sloping natural landscape. Ancillary services, including the kitchen, are discreetly housed underground, accessible via a stepped plaza.
Architects Mauricio Pezo and Sofia von Ellrichshausen, in collaboration with See Architects, detailed the building's three distinct horizontal zones. The lowest level harmonizes with the site's natural contours, incorporating a covered amphitheater that subtly guides the eye towards the valley below. The middle section, an open-plan space beneath the substantial platform, features a diagonal symmetry with accessible corner terraces. The uppermost layer, an unrestricted horizontal platform, offers sweeping views, framed by the 10-meter-tall, obelisk-like freestanding columns that punctuate the space, creating multiple viewing orientations.
Opened in September 2025, the 23,000-square-meter Les Jardins de Médongaule is a showcase of Korean garden heritage and innovation. Überhaus stands as a key landmark within this expansive complex, which also includes the Seongok Seowon Academy by Seung H-Sang of Iroje Architects & Planners, and an as-yet-unfinished cloud-inspired entrance building by Ensamble Studio. Positioned at the western edge of the complex, bordering a forest, Überhaus serves as a welcoming destination for visitors concluding their strolls through the gardens. The building's distinctive soft green hue is achieved by incorporating a silicate pigment into the concrete, a departure from Pezo von Ellrichshausen's previous use of yellow and pink pigmented concrete in other projects.
Each of the sixteen columns measures two meters in both width and depth, providing a substantial presence. Four of these columns integrate elevators, while others are ingeniously designed to house storage facilities and restroom cubicles. Access to the restaurant and roof terrace is predominantly facilitated by gently sloping ramped bridges that ascend from the landscape in elegant circular patterns. An alternative route is provided by a spiral staircase situated in the building's western corner, leading up from the stepped terrace below. This architectural approach echoes the studio's earlier work, such as the Less pavilion in Canberra, Australia, which also featured a precise grid of slender vertical elements, reflecting the architects' ongoing exploration of geometric forms and column-based organizational systems in their designs.
The architects envision the columns as versatile elements, suggesting their use as anchors for decorations like garlands, candles, or canopies, enhancing the experiential quality of the space. They describe the massive columns and slab as imparting a sense of enduring presence and thoughtful contemplation, creating a unique interplay of light and shadow within an environment that is both visually opaque and perceptually transparent. This design philosophy intentionally leaves a physical and conceptual void, inviting occupants to imbue the space with their own meaning and experience. The interior and exterior flooring utilize terrazzo paving, while the ceilings are adorned with oak boards, which also line the deep circular skylights, complementing the bronze-toned aluminum frames of the glass walls.
This innovative design by Pezo von Ellrichshausen seamlessly integrates a functional restaurant and an observation deck within a vibrant botanical setting, creating a dialogue between built form and natural landscape. The use of colored concrete and geometric precision results in a building that is both monumental and inviting, offering a new focal point for the Les Jardins de Médongaule complex and a serene escape for its visitors.