geometry and materials define MANMADE Seoul flagship
Stocker Lee Architetti completes the MANMADE flagship store for Wooyoungmi in Seoul’s Itaewon district. The 970-square-meter building occupies a compact, curved plot along a slightly inclined road, a condition that becomes the primary design driver of the project. The architects allow the perimeter of the site to define the volume, resulting in an architecture that bends, adjusts, and aligns itself with the movement of the street.
The geometry of the building follows the curvature of the road and sets the tone for the project. The architecture does not compete with its surroundings or the garments it houses but instead constructs a measured spatial framework that supports both.
Exposed concrete, cast using OSB formwork and finished with a mineral glaze, carries visible traces of its making, allowing texture and patina to develop over time. The surface recalls the logic of fabric, with a woven appearance subtly echoing the sartorial world of Wooyoungmi. Glass blocks define the facade, filtering daylight into the interior during the day and transforming the building into a softly glowing volume after dusk.
all images by Simone Bossi
Stocker Lee Architetti designs a mezzanine-based spatial sequence
The Swiss architects organize the program through a sequence of mezzanine levels connected by a central vertical core that functions as the project’s structural and spatial backbone. Moving through the store becomes a continuous journey, with changing ceiling heights and proportions introducing variation across the exhibition spaces. This sectional strategy allows each area to develop its own character while remaining part of a cohesive whole.
Concrete, glass, steel, stone, and wood form the material palette of the MANMADE flagship store, selected by Stocker Lee Architetti for their structural and functional qualities rather than decorative effect. Their sobriety establishes a neutral yet tactile environment in which the clothing assumes visual priority. The MANMADE flagship store operates as an urban interior that translates site constraints, material logic, and spatial continuity into an understated but highly controlled architectural experience.
Stocker Lee Architetti completes the MANMADE flagship store for Wooyoungmi in Seoul
the 970-square-meter building occupies a compact, curved plot
the architects allow the perimeter of the parcel to define the volume
an architecture that bends, adjusts, and aligns itself with the movement of the street
the geometry of the building follows the curvature of the road and sets the tone for the project
glass blocks define the facade
the glass blocks filter daylight into the interior during the day
transforming the building into a softly glowing volume after dusk
exposed concrete carries visible traces of its making
the surfaces recall the logic of fabric
concrete is cast using OSB formwork and finished with a mineral glaze
the Swiss architects organize the program through a sequence of mezzanine levels
moving through the store becomes a continuous journey
project info:
name: MANMADE flagship
architect: Stocker Lee Architetti | @stockerleearchitetti
client: Wooyoungmi | @wooyoungmi
location: Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea
site area: 490 square meters
gross floor area: 970 square meters
volume: 5,600 cubic meters
photographer: Simone Bossi | @simonebossiphotographer
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