In October, the winners of the Frame Awards were announced, and the Tamburins Seongsu Flagship Store, located in Seongsu, at the forefront of brand marketing, received awards in two categories: Best Use of Light and Single-Brand Store of the Year. Tamburins is a fragrance and perfume with the brand identity of "exploring undefined beauty through scent." The System Lab was the design architect of the project.

"We wanted to reveal the structural strength of the first impression through light, and we pursued a lighting design that feels as if the warmth of that light spreads throughout the building like a fragrance," EONSLD, lighting designers of the building.

The contrasting architectural shapes are perceived as a unified space through light, creating harmony and evoking a unique atmosphere distinctive to Tamburins Seongsu.

Reinterpretation of the architecture

The Tamburins Seongsu store represents a new concept in architectural design, where the boundaries between interior and exterior, as well as facade and interior design, are dissolved. Preserving the grandeur of the original structure, while capturing the novelty of the new space by redefining it with glass walls was a priority. This approach led to a unique and innovative lighting design perspective. Subtle lights illuminate the lower part of the structure to highlight its silhouette, expressing the grandeur of the atmosphere. In contrast, the transparent glass-box interior space allows internal light to spill outward due to the nature of the glass. Interior lights passing through the glass wall mimic a scene of a perfume sprayed from a bottle that creates a misty ambience. The light spreading to the surroundings blurs the boundary between inside and outside, which can attract passersby into the space.

Invisible light

The key point of the lighting design is "invisible light".

"The glare from the light source affects visual comfort," explain the lighting designers from the EONSLD team. "The fixtures were carefully aimed to create a soft glow to the space, and to be recessed so they can be invisible."

Indeed, when visiting the Tamburins Seongsu flagship store, most of the lights are recessed into the ceiling and walls. This is not only to illuminate the space, but also a considerate design to ensure a comfortable user experience.

In a space, light is not just a simple source of illumination, but also an essential design element and the most crucial point that can make a space outstanding.

"Light is the last finishing material for space," states Jeong Mee, CEO of EONSLD. "Whether it is a space, interior, or architecture, light must be poured out last to bring out the form."