Gijang Waveon · Gijang, Busan, Korea

Situated on a hill overlooking the shore of Gijang, the ‘Waveon Coffee’ is a location one of its kind – a 500m2-sized concrete structure, it is comprised of three enormous volumes, rotated in different directions. A spacious interior, designed by IDMM architects, includes white cladding and full-size windows opening breath-taking views. Depending on the side the visitors look from, they discover diverse views of the sea. The guests can also relax at a series of stepped wooden platforms, strewn among the pine trees at the back of the cafe. The design of the platforms comes from traditional Korean ‘pyeongsang’ – an outdoor deck used for small social activities. In addition to all that, the architects say: “Accordingly, the significant matter of this project is how we can grasp and deal with the relationship between natural scene and architecture.”