Listen Communication, an interior architecture and design studio founded by South Korean designer Sangyoon Kim, has designed for a local cultural centre. Asia Cultural Center is an international comprehensive cultural institution. It features Asian cultural exchanges, collection and research of cultural resources, content production, exhibitions, performances, archives and distribution.

The lobby of the international conference hall is frequented by distinguished guests at home and abroad. The client wanted the lobby to have a traditional Korean identity because it was home to guests from all over the world. To this end, the designers do not unconditionally use traditional Korean elements, but through creative reinterpretation, traditional and modern harmony.

Listen Communication puts important intangible cultural heritage crafts in the right place and also collaborates with artisans to produce modern crafts. The lobby is an open space, but it is worth noting that the layout of the hall is as comfortable as a hanok with a courtyard. The seats are arranged as if they embrace the space.

Entering the hall through a metal door pushed by brass, one can see the joseon Dynasty buddhist statue bell made by the owner of the Cast iron Collection. In the design, acoustic elements enrich the space experience, as anyone can ring the bell. The center of the lobby takes on the feel of a Hanok courtyard and is designed to host a variety of cultural events.

The corridor to the right of the hall is the perfect place for a tea break between meetings. People can easily enjoy the ambience of traditional Korean crafts as well as admire them as they are placed on display. On the deeper side of the lobby, there is a lounge that evokes an atmosphere of restraint. Sofa and table have luxurious texture and massiness feeling. The table, reminiscent of an Indian ink painting, is contemplative. Oriental floor lamps powered by fans also reflect the modern sense of Korean tradition. Fan artwork on one wall blends harmoniously with soft light streaming through traditional Korean paper made from mulberry trees.

Through the traditional Windows and ceiling patterns, the shadows of Korea and the Eastern world are seen, silently remembering, looking at the reflection on the quiet pond. The space is certainly traditional, and anyone living in this era can go back in time and experience this ancient attraction. Listen Communication's non-excessive metaphorical designs are modern, and in this respect they do a good job of reconciling the time gap between tradition and modernity, making the Asian Cultural Center a space where Korean traditions can be experienced in a new way.