Interviews med Junghee Lee

Ever since my early teens, hip-hop music, B-movies, and street culture have been the foundation of my design background.

I became a architect because I realized that I am happiest when I create what I envision.

choose to become a designer

I want to create designs that fully express the imagination still in my mind that I haven't yet realized.

Keep thinking, read novels, watch movies, and listen to music continuously.

I don't see the point in distinguishing between the two.

A good design should resonate with the heart. Understanding through explanation does not make a good design.

Good design makes people in the world happy.

I want to create a design just for myself.

Designing a house for my family to live in.

There are so many. Numerous filmmakers, musicians, and all the architects in the world.

I still love the simple and unembellished designs of Mies van der Rohe and Dieter Rams.

My favorite project is my first one, 'Daebong-dong Commercial.' It's because it was the project where I most deliciously combined materials like concrete, wood, glass, and metal.

Just keep doing it consistently.

I am an independent film director and a hip-hop DJ. If I hadn't become a designer, I would have spent most of my life making films and creating music.

Design is simply the act of bringing your thoughts and imaginations into reality.

There is no one.

Countless movies and music.

Feeling lazy and wanting to quit halfway.

For a designer who tends to dislike being in the spotlight, this can be a significant challenge. I am the same way. However, designers must actively promote their work somehow.

I am designing a house for a family by the seaside. I am thinking about how nature and the house can harmonize with each other.

I don't have any grand goals. I just want to keep doing this work, and that's enough for me.

I have never thought about other people's expectations until now.

Design will make people happy and change their way of thinking.

I have a project collaborating with DJs. I am exploring the integration of music and architecture.

My favorite project is my first one, 'Daebong-dong Commercial.' It's because it was the project where I most deliciously combined materials like concrete, wood, glass, and metal.

It is clear that advancements in AI will lead to overall improvements in standards. However, good design may become even more scarce.

It's moving towards uniformity.

The actual time spent on pure design is quite short. However, the follow-up work to implement it takes 2-3 months.

I simply take out and use the thoughts I've stored in my mind one by one.

Persistent and continuous work.

I think both are correct.

Technology and design are inseparable. When designing, technology is crucial and they function as one.

rhino, sketchup, logic, pencil

Elements that complete a design.

What were your thoughts when you first came up with this design?

Based on this, more new ideas are generated.

I believe that a complete design starts from an individual's solitary thought. Partner or collaborative design work is just business.

There are so many. Numerous filmmakers, musicians.

Countless novels of the world.

With each project, I experienced mistakes and used those experiences to improve step by step.

I want to have conversations with people from different cultures. The differences in thoughts that come from fundamental, innate environments are quite fascinating.

I still don't think I am in that position.

Blue, temple, Sashimi, spring, turntable, Technics.

After finishing, sometimes I think of a better idea later. When that happens, I boldly redo it.

I spend a certain amount of time designing every day regularly. I just keep going with the mindset that this is my life.

I never thought of it that way. I was just a boy interested in the many fascinating things in the world.

Humans will no longer exist on Earth.

2m2 Architects aims to present new cultural and social possibilities in the conventional and traditional Korean architectural scene. They are interested in various fields beyond architecture, such as design, music, video, and street culture, and they collaborate on projects with these diverse areas.

Ever since my early teens, hip-hop music, B-movies, and street culture have been the foundation of my design background.

2m2 Architects aims to present new cultural and social possibilities in the conventional and traditional Korean architectural scene. They are interested in various fields beyond architecture, such as design, music, video, and street culture, and they collaborate on projects with these diverse areas.

house, furniture, music, t-shirts

My favorite project is my first one, 'Daebong-dong Commercial.' It's because it was the project where I most deliciously combined materials like concrete, wood, glass, and metal.

concrete, steel, wood, glass

I feel most creative when I bring my imagined ideas to life exactly as I envisioned them.

I intentionally try to avoid existing ideas as much as possible. There is no point in following others.

It always seems different each time. Some days I feel very excited and joyful, while on other days, my thoughts come to a halt and it's painful.

I couldn't be happier. I feel joyful, fulfilled, and extremely happy.

The effort to resolve the details thoroughly without stopping midway is what makes a design successful.

he most important things are how complete and detailed the design is and whether it brings something new that didn't exist before.

Is there really a responsibility? Designers don't necessarily have to present something new to the public. They just need to continue designing without compromising.

It's a meaningless question.

My last exhibition was in Seoul last year. For my next exhibition, I want to try it in a very rough environment at a construction site.

My design inspiration will continue to come from music, movies, and street culture in the future.

I live in Seoul, South Korea. Seoul is an incredibly vibrant city, with new things constantly emerging and disappearing at a rapid pace. I recommend that designers from around the world live in Seoul at least once.

Architects are among the people who collaborate the most. Collaboration is always enjoyable and generates new ideas.

It is difficult to propose to a company first. If you develop your own style, the company will contact you first for collaboration.

I simply take out and use the thoughts I've stored in my mind one by one.

turntable, desk, speaker, book, dvd

It's very simple. Reading books, watching movies, taking walks, listening to music, and designing—this is my daily routine.

Listen to music, watch movies, and exercise.

The positive aspect is the happiness you feel when a design comes to life. The negative aspect is the constant pressure to create something new.

The intuitive feeling is the most important.

Persistent and continuous work.

Pencil, notebook, and computer.

I use eight hours every day regularly.

The actual time spent on pure design is quite short. However, the follow-up work to implement it takes 2-3 months.

How on earth did you come up with this?

Building a structure on your own.

Individual and company.

Trying and doing things you haven't done before.

I want to keep doing this work I love sustainably for a long time.

I do all the design work by myself.

I am working on architecture combined with music and AI.

I have nothing more to say.

When creating spaces, I sometimes work with the concept of extending the exterior seamlessly into the interior. However, in this case, I wanted to separate the idea of a cozy home environment from the harsh surroundings one encounters before returning home at the end of the day.

Rather than using artificially refined finishes, I wanted to retain the raw texture of materials in the common areas, up until one opens their front door and enters their personal space. This is because it is a shared space, not a private one used solely by individuals.

Seoul is the city where I was born and raised. I have lived in various neighborhoods and walked through its alleys since childhood. I believe I naturally designed a building that meets the needs of this place.

In Seoul, many young people live in studios or two-room spaces. My friends did the same during our college years, and so did I. Even after graduation and before marriage, my friends continued to live in such spaces. I have thought for a long time about what would make these spaces better.

When a building with a quality space is created, the surrounding area is inevitably influenced, leading to the development of similar high-quality residential spaces. Sista House will be the starting point for this transformation.

Brick is a versatile building material that allows for various exterior designs depending on how it’s stacked. The bold red brick in an old neighborhood alley creates a strong image, yet, interestingly, it harmonizes well with the surrounding older buildings.

The communal staircase requires ventilation and natural light while ensuring privacy from external views. By implementing a double-skin concept with layered brickwork outside the windows, I was able to address all these needs.

The year 2020 marked the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic. With the project completed during this time, I was surprised to see the spaces we had envisioned during the design phase being utilized even more effectively than anticipated. I feel grateful that our ideas proved to be on point.

Since my teenage years, I have been skateboarding and listening to hip-hop music. For over 20 years, I have also been active as a hip-hop DJ. In this project, I collaborated with a hip-hop dancer and worked on a video piece together. The dancer's movements within the raw, unfinished interior and exterior spaces of the building express the future of the structure once completed. I highly recommend watching the video on the 2m2 architects website.

I’m not sure if I will have the opportunity to design architecture specifically for a particular generation or gender again, but designing with a clear target in mind rather than an ambiguous audience is certainly intriguing.

In contrast to urban areas, houses in Korean fishing villages are often built with locally sourced, inexpensive materials, resulting in simpler constructions. To harmonize with the village landscape, I chose exposed concrete, whose raw texture can be felt directly, along with selective use of stone and wood. This approach was intended to create a balance, contrasting with the uniform, industrial feel of mass-produced metal materials.

The connection between the sea and shelter is indeed a fundamental aspect of Fish Farm House’s design philosophy. This relationship shaped the spatial arrangements by aligning the layout to maximize ocean views and create a sense of flow between interior and exterior spaces, reflecting the fluidity of the nearby waters. Material choices were also deeply influenced by this connection; exposed concrete and locally sourced stone mirror the textures of the coastal landscape, while wooden elements evoke the traditional materials used in local fishing villages. The result is a structure that feels both rooted in its environment and resilient against the coastal climate, creating a harmonious dialogue between the shelter and the sea.

The transition spaces in Fish Farm House, especially the entrance between the living room and kitchen, were inspired by the desire to create moments of pause and connection within the home. These buffer zones serve as gentle thresholds that both separate and unify different areas, encouraging a natural flow between spaces while allowing each to maintain its distinct atmosphere. By designing these transitional areas with intentional width, lighting, and texture, they not only facilitate movement but also provide a sense of rhythm to daily activities. This approach enhances the living experience by making transitions feel purposeful and creating subtle, interactive moments as one moves throughout the home.

Incorporating the reed field and Mount Dongmang as integral elements in the design of Fish Farm House was driven by a desire to create harmony between the built environment and its natural surroundings. The expansive reed field influenced the orientation and openness of the house, allowing views to flow seamlessly outward, while the silhouette of Mount Dongmang inspired the roofline and certain structural forms, reflecting the contours of the landscape. By aligning the architecture with these natural backdrops, the design not only enhances the beauty of the site but also establishes a sense of place that feels deeply connected to the local environment. These elements guided decisions on layout, materials, and spatial transitions, creating a home that is both rooted in and respectful of its surroundings.

Before the building's design began, large-scale stone civil engineering work by a previous civil company had already divided the land into large, layered sections, disrupting the natural slope of the site. In response, the building was designed as a single-story structure aligned with the natural slope descending from the mountain behind. This approach allowed the flow to extend seamlessly through the courtyard and toward the sea, creating a harmonious progression.

I believe that exposed concrete is a building material that suits fishing villages or rural areas much more than urban settings. With exposed concrete as the base, limestone and wood play a role in interrupting and naturally extending the flow of this material, creating a seamless transition.

The pocket door serves to create a flexible space by expanding or separating indoor areas of different character as needed. Each space can adapt to the residents’ needs or even respond to the weather from the sea, allowing for an extension of space to the outdoors or a connected interior environment. This feature introduces an architecturally engaging element that enhances adaptability within the home.

There are many sites with views overlooking the sea, but a site that offers both a sea view and a mountain backdrop is uniquely rare. Although the location faces a rough sea environment, especially during typhoon season, it was important to design a home that doesn't resist these natural conditions but instead blends seamlessly, as if it has existed harmoniously within this landscape for ages.

I am an architect who not only designs buildings but also takes on the construction work myself. In this project, acting as both designer and builder allowed me to achieve a higher level of completion. Despite the long distance of over 400 km from Seoul to Geoje, where Fish Farm House is located, we were able to achieve excellent results because design and construction were carried out together.

Korean fishing villages still tend to have many homes in challenging conditions. While Fish Farm House may not become the standard, I hope it can serve as a catalyst for gradually improving the coastal environment of these local fishing communities.

I aimed to enhance the spatial qualities that people experience as they walk through by dividing the area into multiple smaller spaces with varying levels, rather than having one large open space.

I wanted to design The Daebong-dong Commercial Skip Floor Commercial Cafe that naturally blends into Kim Gwangseok's cultural street while expressing its own character. After my first site visit, I felt that the path taken by the singer Kim Gwangseok was naturally connected to the building.

I value the powerful impression that materials themselves convey. I particularly enjoy how the use of two contrasting materials enhances that feeling. These are natural materials that provide people with a pleasing experience effortlessly.

The journey of unknowingly reaching the end of the building is a great way for people to experience its spaces. This approach to building design holds significant meaning for me.

The passage of time can be perceived through the direction and intensity of light entering the interior. The use of skylights, in particular, softens the flow of light, acting as a gentle filter that enhances warmth within the space.

It serves to both extend and separate indoor and outdoor spaces. Unlike simple glass, the wooden louver folding system does not create a complete division; instead, it forms layers that alter the perception of the building, evoking different emotions from inside and outside.

If the building's floor area ratio fully occupies the site, it inevitably results in a structure with a volume that doesn’t harmonize with the old neighborhood. The more empty spaces are incorporated, the more the building blends into and complements the character of the area.

I enjoy hiking in the mountains, and observing the natural combination of trees and rocks has naturally guided me in applying these elements to architecture.

The Daebong-dong Commercial Skip Floor Café project significantly influenced our subsequent architectural approaches and design philosophy at 2m2 Architects. This project underscored the importance of integrating a building seamlessly into its existing urban fabric, especially in historically rich neighborhoods. By opting for a structure that occupied only one-third of the legally permissible floor area ratio, we demonstrated that thoughtful design could create spaces that harmonize with their surroundings while maintaining distinct identities. DESIGNBOOMThis experience reinforced our commitment to designing buildings that respect and enhance their context, rather than overwhelming it. We learned that strategic spatial planning, such as employing skip-floor layouts, can maximize functionality and create dynamic, engaging environments within limited footprints. Additionally, the deliberate selection of materials—balancing aesthetics with durability—became a cornerstone of our design philosophy, ensuring that our projects are both visually appealing and enduring.

I believe it will remain in the neighborhood for a long time as a space that is remembered fondly over time, rather than as a building that merely flaunts or shows off.