MI is a minimalist space located in Seoul, South Korea, designed by OFF studio. This project reveals how contemporary Korean design thinking approaches the delicate balance between commercial necessity and cultural sensitivity. The white exterior mass does not assert dominance over its context but rather whispers its presence among the neighborhood’s existing rooflines. This restraint echoes the Japanese concept of ma – the meaningful use of negative space – while distinctly Korean in its application to urban commercial architecture. The building follows what architect Tadao Ando once described as “the logic of the site,” allowing the natural flow of the alley to determine both approach and entry sequence.

The stone courtyard functions as a decompression chamber, a material threshold that prepares visitors for the interior’s different temporal rhythm. Stone, with its geological permanence, grounds the experience in something older than the neighborhood’s recent gentrification. This choice reflects a broader movement in contemporary Asian design where traditional materials anchor spaces against the rapid pace of urban change. The setback entrance creates what urban theorist Jane Jacobs would recognize as a “soft edge” – a transitional zone that invites rather than excludes.

Inside, the interplay between transparency and enclosure demonstrates sophisticated spatial choreography. Steel-framed windows – industrial in their honesty yet refined in their proportions – draw daylight deep into the interior while maintaining crucial visual connections to the street life beyond. The carpeted floor represents a deliberate softening, absorbing both sound and the hard edges of urban existence. This acoustic consideration transforms the space into what could be called an “urban sanctuary,” where conversation becomes possible without the competing noise of city life.

The oak benches serve multiple roles within this carefully orchestrated environment. As seating, they provide human-scaled comfort. As sculptural elements, they add visual weight that prevents the space from feeling sterile. As material statements, they introduce warmth and tactile richness that balances the cooler tones of steel and stone. The wood’s natural variations create what designer George Nakashima called “the soul of the tree” – unique character marks that resist the homogenization of mass production.