48 Hour Inclusive Design Challenge at Design Korea, 9-11 December 2010, organised by The British Council Korea with the Korean Institute of Design Promotion
Team Up
Team leader: Gero Grundmann (Studio Bec)
Design partner: Park Kunyoung
UP is a concept coffee house combining cosy coffee enjoyment and high-adrenaline indoor climbing. It is a light and airy café that acts as an antidote to the fast-paced life of Seoul's main shopping area - Myondong. Relax with your favourite drink on four floating floors, watch climbers focus on their favourite sport or learn to climb yourself. UP is a unique space for socialising and sports, designed to welcome people of all ages and abilities.
The UP concept café was inspired by the team's design partner Geun-Young Park who has cerebral palsy but leads an active urban lifestyle. She loves shopping for fashion and cosmetics and likes to relax in coffee houses. However, most shops and coffee houses are not designed with accessibility in mind, which limits Geun-Young Park's mobility.
Knowing that many people share her frustrations, the design team aimed to create more enjoyable and accessible spaces. Together with Geun-Young Park, they explored Myongdong. She demonstrated to them how badly-designed buildings, interiors, products and services stop her from enjoying her favourite activities. The team turned these insights into concepts and decided to design a new type of coffee house.
So why UP? Why combine climbing and coffee? Mountaineers and people with limited mobility share a similar mindset - they want to move around freely and know how important it is to have places to rest and plan their next move. The UP coffee house unites these qualities. The building has four levels that are accessible and have moving walkways and a glass lift.
Throughout UP, large colour-coded signs with clear pictograms and type make navigating the building easy. Large wall menus allow customers to choose drinks from a distance and speed up service. Ordering, collection and recycling points are clearly marked and UP would sell re-usable cups.
Customers order their drinks at street level. If they are in a hurry, they can lean on resting rails until their coffee is ready. For those coming to relax, the other three floors are furnished with comfortable chairs, tables, armchairs and sofas, accommodating people's needs.
The wall opposite the viewing platforms is designed for indoor climbing. Rising like a rockface, it provides an arena for urban mountaineers and a training area for newcomers to the sport. Coffee drinkers watch the climbers while they relax and the climbers can then enjoy a drink after their exercise. Its versatility and accessibility makes UP a must-see attraction.
