‘House Nowhere Seoul’ Landed in Seongsu-dong

house Nowhere: Beyond retail to a ‘spatial language’

launched in 2021, House Nowhere is a global project that breaks away from traditional store formulas to translate brand philosophies and aesthetics into space. with locations in Dosan, Seoul, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, it has combined installation art and experiential content with commercial space, and Sungsoo’s House Nowhere Seoul is the first to take this experiment to a large architectural scale. beyond its commercial function, it’s more of a “future retail” manifesto to showcase the next phase of retail.

multi-label hub: a testing ground for the branding ecosystem

the space will operate as the first integrated retail platform for iCombine’s labels, including Gentlemonster, Tambourines, Nudeik, and Attish. most notable is the addition of new label NUFLAAT. the concept is still under wraps, but trademark information suggests that it will expand the kitchenware axis. it will add a new dimension to the sensory experience of the existing labels, mutually amplifying the experimental spirit of holy water.

• cross-brand experience design: integrated product-installation-content pathways
• category expansion signals: ‘Nouflat’ enters the market, expanding the spectrum to the living area
• dwell retail: shifting from looking to staying

architecture’s Worldview: ‘The Future is Back’

architect Chanjoong Kim of The System Lab was in charge of the design. he is also the designer of Tambourine’s Holy Water, an unconventional building with a concrete frame. this project translates the worldview of each label into architectural language under the theme of ‘The Future Has Returned’. drawing on Brutalism, which foregrounds the materiality and structural honesty of exposed concrete, the project builds unprecedented silhouettes, textures, and rhythms. gentlemonster’s inspiration and bold gestures are extended to the architectural level.

architecture amplifies the narrative created by branding, and retail designs new experiences within the frame of architecture.

why ‘we can’t wait’ – 3 rationales

1. scale of experimentation: House Nowhere’s experiments evolve to a large-scale architectural level, combining content, structure, and movement into a holistic experience.
2. the synergy of brand convergence: multi-label fashion, beauty, dessert, and lifestyle intersect in one space, creating a new grammar of collaboration.
3. expectations of architectural perfection: the potential for Kim Chanjoong×iCombine’s collaboration to update retail architecture references in the experimental urban context of Holy Water.

holy water, the new icon on the most dynamic stage

seongsu is the fastest changing neighborhood in Seoul. the reverberations of industrial areas and a creative ecosystem coexist, creating a soil that is receptive to experimental endeavors. house Nowhere Seoul functions as a destination space on top of this urbanity, and has the potential to absorb and return the cultural and commercial energy of the neighborhood.

key takeaways

• project: HAUS NOWHERE SEOUL
• location: Seongsu-dong neighborhood, Seoul
• nature: iCombine new building + multi-label integrated retail
• participating Labels: gentlemonster, Tambourines, Nudeike, Attish, Nouflat (new)
• design: Chanjoong Kim, The System Lab
• concept: ‘The future that came back’, Brutalism-based sculptural experimentation

editor’s comment

house Nowhere Seoul is a project that redefines the intersection of ‘branding×architecture×retail’. the experimentalism fostered by Sungsoo Sung, the convergence of multiple labels, and the sculptural experimentation of Brutalism will overlap to present a new grammar of destination-type space. the longevity of the project will be determined by the perfection of its post-opening operational strategy (temporary exhibitions, collaborative collections, and residency events).