Labotory is a design studio located in Seoul, South Korea.The design philosophy of Labotory is simple. It aims to realize the best space through the maximum efforts. LABOTORY is a compound word that adds the meaning of two different words, laboratory and story. It means a studio experiments and studies their own story of a brand. They create brand experience through space and brand identity design.
In this Master Class, two founders Park Kee Min and Jung Jin Ho share the philosophy and projects of the studio. Labotory' s design philosophy follows Minimalism and Constructivism. Base on Line & face, Simple repeat & pattern, Geometric structure, Asymmetry order, Beauty of a sculpture, they standard ' MICONISM ' design philosophy and language to design space. This master class is divided into four parts: philosophy organization, design language, design structure and design concept.
Yinjispace：How do you know the renovation and material are in line with the brand style? How to improve this insight?
Design is a process of specifying a given common goal. I think achieving a given goal is persuasion. So in the stage of narrative and logical planning, it is very important to think about the identity of this brand. Of course, the materials should keep up with the trend of the times. But paying attention to the identity of this brand is the most important point before space planning and design. Therefore, I think analyzing the personality and temperament of a brand, such as what kind of voice and fragrance it should emit, is the stage of creating a narrative. Only after going through this step can we be sure that we have given this brand a common goal and have confidence. We are designers, but the client is also a member of the project team. If all members of the team have a common goal, we can gain confidence. Through these steps, we can know what materials should be used in space.
Yinjispace：In which stage of the project would you budget the cost of construction? And it is based on the price of the owner or the space efficiency?
The client’s budget is very important. So when we first meet, we will ask about the budget. Then we asked the client by what kind of project he or she found us. We tell the client about the average price of these projects per square meter. Then, some clients will say that it is too far from their expectations, and some clients will ask us to allocate the budget more reasonably. These are discussed at the early stage of a project. When I propose the design, there will be a virtual valuation, and we use this price to discuss with the owner. If there is a deviation between the estimate and the budget, we will make design modifications to ensure that the difference is not too much.
Yinjispace：Are the color and styles from concept stage used in the whole design process?
In Buddhist ideas, there is a saying of connection, which means that everything is connected and there is no independent entity. In cosmology, there is also a consensus. That is, life in the universe is not independent, but interacts and continues to connect. This view is also recognized in our studio, and we are willing to express it through our design. First of all, we create a brand core concept. Through this concept, no matter from color, shape, function to small details of furniture, it is used to ensure that the identity is highlighted and these stories are closely connected. We try to grasp a brand identity. And in the process of space planning, we give the space a logic of interaction. While integrating all parts, it is our responsibility to spatialize the real symbols related to the brand in order to fully express the identity.
Yinjispace：Are there any problems in cooperation with the owner and the constructor? How do you solve them?
The thinking modes of the constructors and designers may be slightly different, and the way we express will be different. In order to prevent conflict, our internal designers and constructors will be jointly responsible for the construction to avoid misunderstanding of the design intent. However, in the project of INC Coffee, due to various special situations, we were unable to intervene and had a lot of friction with the construction team. As for frictions, if you let it go, you will never get the results you want. So I think conflict should be regarded as an solution to some extent. As we do both design and construction works, we understand the ideas of the constructors. On the premise of understanding their ways of thinking, we express our design intent as much as possible through a large number of negotiations and moderate communications. In this way, quarrels can be avoided. What they can't do, on the contrary, we will coordinate more.
Yinjispace：How long is the INC coffee project’s construction process? Do you finish it in several groups?
The INC coffee project was designed for three or four months. Due to various circumstances at that time, the construction took six months. Therefore, the whole project took about one year to complete. We have to show, explain and supervise many things in a short time, so our designers work in teams, and there are about 5 team members involved.
Yinjispace：Are your projects all chain stores? Are the sales increased? How to create the highlights and symbols of a chain store?
INC Coffee is the first flagship store in a chain store form. Now, 6 stores have adopted this design language. Brand identity is important because we believe that there should be brand power that can connect to future stories. For example, the VIP lounge of Hyundai has made many changes since the establishment of the brand identity. The second space created in this mode shows a different atmosphere despite the same design language. We think that brand is not limited to a store, but a larger concept than a single space story. The role of each space is different. Anyone can see that these places are unique, but they seem to belong to a larger entity. I think this is brand information and brand power. We would site the example of YUN Seoul. The first shop is emotional, not selling coffee but drinking tea; Later, the second store was created by combining the two concepts of water and desert. The form is very different from that of the first store, but they have the same brand sensibility. This is what we think of as a way to design the same brand with various forms of expression.
Yinjispace：Do you find the brand identity and value or the client has a accurate direction? Are you a developer or a researcher in dealing with the chain brand?
Labotory was originally a space design studio, with only space designers. But the most important thing in designing a space is to establish a brand identity. With a clear interpretation of the brand, spatial expression can become more persuasive. Therefore, four years ago we have a visual design department, and two years ago we established an independent visual team named IBTR graphics. Labotory's space design team and brand design team work together. When all projects start, in the stage of brand analysis, we take the creation of brand strategy, mission, core value, slogan, etc. as the very foundation, and then extend to space design. Although our clients have their own direction, few of them provide very specific solutions. Therefore, it can be understood that the owner shows us the sprouted seeds, and we make the sprouts take root and grow into a flourishing tree, doing all the concrete processes. We do not only discover things, but also we will think about and analyze what the tree’s fruit would be like when it grows up.
