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Architects: stof.
- Area: 137 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Donggyu Kim
Text description provided by the architects. The contemporary Korean-French fine dining restaurant, "Confier," already well-known for its exceptional cuisine and performances in Dosan Park, has recently opened near Seoul Station.
Stof focused on applying and visualizing Confier's perspective on gastronomy, which seeks to "experience new tastes and visual food, showcasing the process of food becoming a work of art" within the spatial sequences. In theater, the virtual wall between the audience and the stage is referred to as the "fourth wall," when the boundaries between the audience and the stage blur, it's called "breaking the fourth wall." With this concept, Stof aimed to encapsulate the creation of beautiful cuisine in a kitchen that resembles a stage, turning it into an experiential space rather than a mere observation.
Inside Confier, the experience unfolds like entering a theater, moving around the stage, and communicating with the space. Along a dark corridor, there's a unique reception (Backstage) facing a bustling main stage visible beyond the curtains, a front kitchen & open kitchen (Main stage) where patrons can communicate and enjoy, and tables (auditorium) arranged in a formation inspired by the layout of a theater audience. Particularly, the mirror structure installed above the front kitchen allows a view of the final plating scene from any position, thanks to precisely planned reflective angles.
While the overall tone of the space leans towards dark and moody, various finishes in different areas stimulate the palate, aligning with the theme of "gastronomy" in a stage-like setting. From yakisugi, travertine, marble, and red copper to traditional Korean brush painting (chilbo), diverse finishes each contribute unique hues, serving as accents throughout the space.
