Little Neck is a small restaurant located near Dosan Park, in the heart of Seoul, that has been serving an all-day brunch menu operated by the food & lifestyle company GFFG for over 10 years, receiving love from many people. Recently, SLA took on the renovation project of the existing main branch.

Located in a typical Korean multi-generational housing building, SLA inserted a staircase box, connecting the basement, 1st floor, and the outside as one. Visitors can feel the change in atmosphere as they move through the space. SLA’s design approach is to emphasize various materials such as raw steel, stained wood in green and terracotta bricks, to accentuate the ‘freshness’ of the visual encounter. As they enter the entrance, they can feel a sense of intimacy, like a shelter, in the space where the handmade green stained birch wood of the staircase is revealed, and can catch a glimpse of the interior of the hall through the opening. Passing through the staircase, they enter the service space finished with rough-textured terra cotta bricks. Then, the dining hall where the material palette is brighter and more open, allowing visitors to communicate more openly.

The ceiling features all the newly added structural elements during the remodeling of the existing building, all framed in raw steel. The contrast has been created between the newly designed materials, stained oak wood in white, below the datum line on the wall, and the existing ceiling finished in white texture above. A row of custom lighting fixtures hanging on the molding creates a dynamic perspective of the space, contrasting with the warm tones of the green and white walls. The table and bench have been designed with SLA’s holistic design approach to custom furniture, lighting, and space, providing visitors with the pleasure of exploring and discovering beautifully designed details in addition to the joy of tasting food.