Jujube Restaurant
Seoul, South Korea
Jujube is an Italian restaurant in Seoul’s Gangnam district, designed by SPACEBASE to balance opposing qualities: modernity and warmth, clarity and comfort. Through subtle material contrasts, a restrained palette and sculptural furniture, the space offers a refined yet inviting dining experience—carefully crafted to support atmosphere as much as function.
Step off the street in Seoul’s Gangnam district and the mood shifts. Light softens, voices lower, and a sense of ease takes hold. This is Jujube—a restaurant designed not only to serve, but to slow you down.
Serving Italian food in a setting shaped by Nordic clarity and subtle warmth, Jujube finds its rhythm in contrast. With just over 100 square metres to work with, Manager Junho Moon of Jujube approached the project with a sense of restraint and precision. “The challenge was to hold two things at once—modern clarity and emotional warmth,” the team explains. “We wanted to offer a refined visual experience without compromising on comfort.”
The result is a space that doesn’t clamour for attention but earns it gradually. Natural textures, muted tones and gentle nods to the Mediterranean lend a sense of quiet escape. “It should feel a little like stepping out of the everyday,” says Moon, “without losing the grounding that makes people feel at home.”
Furniture choices were instrumental in achieving this balance. Pieces from Fritz Hansen help define the atmosphere—calm, sculptural, and inviting in form. “The shapes are refined, but there’s nothing cold or distant about them,” the studio notes. “They offered the tactility and presence we were looking for.”
Jujube isn’t about spectacle. It’s about pace, detail, and the kind of thoughtful design that reveals itself over time—just as every good meal should.
Serving Italian food in a setting shaped by Nordic clarity and subtle warmth, Jujube finds its rhythm in contrast. With just over 100 square metres to work with, Manager Junho Moon of Jujube approached the project with a sense of restraint and precision. “The challenge was to hold two things at once—modern clarity and emotional warmth,” the team explains. “We wanted to offer a refined visual experience without compromising on comfort.”
The result is a space that doesn’t clamour for attention but earns it gradually. Natural textures, muted tones and gentle nods to the Mediterranean lend a sense of quiet escape. “It should feel a little like stepping out of the everyday,” says Moon, “without losing the grounding that makes people feel at home.”
Furniture choices were instrumental in achieving this balance. Pieces from Fritz Hansen help define the atmosphere—calm, sculptural, and inviting in form. “The shapes are refined, but there’s nothing cold or distant about them,” the studio notes. “They offered the tactility and presence we were looking for.”
Jujube isn’t about spectacle. It’s about pace, detail, and the kind of thoughtful design that reveals itself over time—just as every good meal should.
Furniture Notes
The Carimate™ chair, designed by Italian architect Vico Magistretti in 1959, adds sculptural character and comfort to the dining space. Its bold form and detailed construction bring a sense of material richness to the otherwise pared-back interior—and in the context of Jujube, its Italian heritage offers a subtle nod to the cuisine. Designed by Anton Björsing, the Hven armchair introduces a lighter Nordic expression, defined by soft curves and a relaxed silhouette.While distinct in origin, both pieces reflect the sculptural sensibility that runs through Fritz Hansen’s design DNA—where form and tactility are given as much consideration as function. Each piece features softly drawn vertical lines and curves that catch the light beautifully—an understated commonality that creates visual rhythm and cohesion throughout the space.
Inspirational images from the case
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