The name "Suum Urban" has been made by the client couple since their conception of this project. It meant the urban version of the cafe "Suum" operated by their parents in front of a water reserve just outside Cheonan. For the first client meeting, we visited the parents' cafe, "Suum," which is located in nature with a view of the surrounding mountains and water. Our project site, in contrast, is located in the middle of the city in front of a wide road with heavy traffic. There was little foot traffic, however, and small-scale houses and shops mixed, thus giving off a sense of being marginalized. We respected the client couple's courage to open a bakery cafe there.

First of all, we needed to overcome the situation in which the foot traffic was little, but the automobile traffic on the front road was heavy. To turn this to the client's advantage, we attempted to find how to maximize recognition from streets. We decided to make nothing other than directly opposing nearby commercial buildings, which show off their sense of presence with large signs. Precisely put, we decided to add just a few points on the front facade, excluding exterior decorations as best we could.

We wanted to make a building into which daylight comes gently and which in turn gives off light after sunset, just like a giant lighting fixture, by designing a rectangular exposed concrete building with double polycarbonate sheets on the roadside as well as glass windows up to the height of knees or so, small slits through which one could see the inside. Surprisingly, those polycarbonate sheets created unexpected effects, such as changing the nearby dizzy lights into mysterious ones, which are thus reflected or transmitted inside.

We hoped this place would be mysterious as if a new world would unfold when you entered it by pushing the heavy giant door with no clue of the interior. Visitors feel embarrassed to face the high and wide door reflecting nearby lights in the middle of the long concrete wall, but on crossing the border; they face a green garden unexpectedly. At the center of the café exists a triangular courtyard, along with tall maple trees, rocks, and flowering plants. This courtyard is the alpha and omega of this "Suum Urban" design project.

We wanted to introduce at least the forest and wind to this seemingly barren neighborhood. Varying with the seasons, the courtyard will enrich how this place looks. Around the courtyard on the 1st floor, we put a long concrete table and counter to set the center of the interior. For the interior finishing, we minimized decorations and utilized decent materials so that one can enjoy only the courtyard and the gently coming daylight. The steel columns supporting the roof serve as the frame holding the two-story-high glass windows, while the 2nd-floor slab was suspended from the roof slab with steel rods so as to float in the midair of the building, thus maximizing the sense of openness toward the center. Half of the 2nd floor was filled with a terrace enclosed by exposed concrete walls, the terrace which one can enjoy with the wind outside. Sitting on the terraced wooden deck at the eastern end by nightfall, you can see the beautiful red sky.

Suum Urban looks like a giant rock which apparently seems to have no movement. Looking inside, however, you can find the place more lively and moving than anyone in the vicinity. We hope people can feel serenity for a moment and have a small but precious experience here, away from their busy everyday routine.