Experimenting with Sustainable Spaces: Maha Hannam, Cafe Boom and Bust

Cafe Oversupply and Rising Closure Rates

Cafe Boom and Bust: In 2024, 10,720 cafes opened nationwide, while 12,246 closed—more closures than openings. From sprawling weekend hotspots to study cafés (“cafègongjok”), diverse outlets thrive, yet many shutter quickly. Architect Kim Dong-hyun attributes this to spaces being treated like fast-consumed commodities. Once novelty fades, customers move on, trapping owners in a boom-and-bust cycle. 사무실 인테리어 업체

Pop-ups & Cafés: Spaces as Consumable Goods

In 2023, The Hyundai Seoul hosted roughly. 440 pop-up stores—about 1.2 per day—mirroring the café cycle of rapid turnover. Both pop-ups and cafés chase trends, only to vanish as customer interest wanes. Kim argues this model prioritizes novelty over lasting engagement. Effectively treating spaces themselves as disposable consumer goods rather than environments for sustained experience.

Birth of Maha Hannam: From Bathhouse to Café: Cafe Boom and Bust

Maha Hannam, an architect’s study café in Yongsan’s Hannam District, repurposed a derelict bathhouse into a distinctive space. After a six-month lease negotiation, the original residential layout—bedroom, living room, kitchen—was preserved. Concrete and metal gave way to heavy stone floors and wooden ceilings. Creating an intimate, enduring environment unlike disposable pop-ups or trend-chasing cafés.

Four Principles of Spatial Design: Cafe Boom and Bust

Kim outlines four key design principles for lasting spaces: (1) retain existing structures to preserve memory;.(2) use natural materials for comfort; (3) customize seating, lighting, and decor to offer novelty with each visit; (4) foster a “home-like” atmosphere encouraging extended stays. These guidelines have positioned Maha Hannam not as a fleeting pop-up. But as a place guests return to repeatedly. prices climb