We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Studio Atelier11 ("SA").
As a public architect, he designs from village architecture to urban architecture. Each operation has a different location and requirement. The process of organizing, solving and presenting these things is interesting.
Studio Atelier11 Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Studio Atelier11.
Studio Atelier11 Design - Studio Atelier11 Office
Designer Interview of Studio Atelier11:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
SA : Since I was young, I’ve been sensitive to the atmosphere of spaces — the narrow alleys of the city, the cracks in old walls, the silence behind closed doors. These small observations shaped my way of thinking about architecture. To me, architecture is less about what we build and more about why we build.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
SA : Studio Atelier11 is an architecture office based in Jeju Island, Korea. We focus on designing spaces that respect both people and place, regardless of the size or program. Our goal is to create calm but layered architecture, grounded in its context.
DI: What is "design" for you?
SA : Design is the beginning of a conversation. It’s not about defining or completing something, but about asking questions and creating relationships — between people, spaces, and time.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
SA : I’m drawn to small-scale projects, especially those involving living and contemplation. There’s something profoundly joyful about crafting compact, high-density spaces that hold both emotion and logic.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
SA : One of my favorites is a two-story stay in Jeju, with each floor measuring only about 23 square meters. Despite its small size, the spatial experience is rich and layered. I carefully designed the way light moves, how bodies rest, and how silence is felt.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
SA : It was the redesign of a small café. I focused less on function and more on ambiance and emotion, which continues to influence my design attitude today.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
SA : I often use exposed concrete and timber. Both materials change their expression over time, making the passage of time tangible in space.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
SA : When I walk through a site, sense its smell, light, and silence. My creativity is at its peak when I experience the place with all my senses.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
SA : Light, the flow of the gaze, the texture of materials — and also the invisible emotional grain of the space.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
SA : A mix of tension and immersion. It’s an organic process of listening to the land and translating imagined atmospheres into form.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
SA : Gratitude, and also a sense of humility. The space ultimately belongs to its users, and I always try to accept the gap between my intentions and reality.
DI: What makes a design successful?
SA : A successful design acknowledges the body and emotions of the user. When a space allows for both use and sensitivity, I consider it meaningful.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
SA : Whether it contains a spatial narrative — beyond forms or aesthetics, I value how the experience unfolds inside.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
SA : Designers make choices. Rather than creating more, I believe in making what’s truly needed — with care, honesty, and responsibility.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
SA : While technology evolves rapidly, I believe the true change lies in relationships. Design is moving toward a more emotional, human-centered direction.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
SA : y last exhibition was a small architecture show held in Jeju in 2024. I’d love to hold the next one in Seoul, exploring the theme of the city and sensory perception.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
SA : From walking, music, film, and the wind. I find most of my ideas when I spend long hours observing a place without distraction.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
SA : My style is minimal in form but dense in feeling. I focus more on designing the unseen — light, time, and silence — than on decorative elements.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
SA : I live in Jeju, a volcanic island in Korea. The island’s distinct character and the Korean sense of spatial "emptiness" influence my work deeply.
DI: How do you work with companies?
SA : Through dialogue. Rather than offering immediate solutions, I prefer to begin by asking shared questions with my clients.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
SA : See the designer not just as a problem-solver, but as a creative partner who grows with you.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
SA : I start by walking and observing the site. I then sketch by hand, imagine spatial rhythms, and alternate between drawing and modeling until the design settles.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
SA : A Vitra lounge chair, an Inno light fixture, a handmade paper lamp, a carved ceramic cup, and a compact Muji Bluetooth speaker.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
SA : Morning meetings with the team, afternoon site visits or client discussions, and evenings spent sketching or reading architecture books.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
SA : Don’t rush. More than speed, what matters is holding onto your own questions for a long time.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
SA : The positive: you’re always learning. The negative: it never ends — everything becomes your responsibility.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
SA : Have the courage to subtract.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
SA : The ability to observe, to question, and to translate emotion into space.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
SA : Hand sketching, Rhino, Enscape, AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, and books — especially the writings of Louis Kahn and Tadao Ando.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
SA : I set clear milestones and regularly review ideas and timelines with my team.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
SA : Small projects take 2–3 months. Larger ones can take 6 months or more. Good design needs time to ripen.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
SA : "How did you come up with that atmosphere?"
DI: What was your most important job experience?
SA : Completing our studio’s first solo project. That’s when I truly realized how architecture quietly enters people’s daily lives.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
SA : Mainly small-scale stay operators, private homeowners, and cultural space curators in Jeju.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
SA : Spaces for contemplation. When architecture touches one’s inner life, it feels most rewarding.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
SA : I plan to experiment more at the threshold between city and nature. I’m currently working on a small pavilion in an urban setting.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
SA : Initial ideas often come from me, but every project is developed collaboratively with the team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
SA : Yes — we’re preparing a pavilion inspired by wind and light in Jeju. It will be a space where music and architecture meet.
DI: How can people contact you?
SA : Email: atelier11a@hanmail.net https://www.atelier11.co.kr/
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
SA : Architecture is a discipline that refines life itself. I want to continue exploring the quiet but powerful relationship between people and places.