EERO: Reinterpreting Korean Mythology Through Local Identity

The Lawyers Tower in Seocho-dong emerged from a vision to create a dignified space for legal professionals while preserving local character. With its black brick framework and central courtyard, the building offered the potential for natural connection within an urban setting. We chose to bridge past and present through Seoripul’s narrative and the garden of Haetae—a mythical water guardian symbolizing law and justice, historically protecting Joseon Dynasty courthouses.

The space expresses refined linear aesthetics in concrete, embodying the brand’s aspirational ‘beneficial path’ while accumulating temporal flows. The unified, refined space creates a canvas for natural forms through emptiness. This synesthetically expresses Haetae’s elemental characteristics—water, fire, clouds, and wind—through wave movements, water sounds, fire shadows, and misty sensations.

The first floor’s courtyard, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, brings nature indoors through borrowed scenery, while the outdoor garden pond cascades into the basement sunken area. Water sounds guide visitors downward, reinforcing nature-space connectivity. Light and water streaming from above in the basement hall create a phenomenological rhythm in the void.

Deeper within lies Eopkyung (karma mirror), an exhibition space where moving light waves offer experiential engagement. True to its name, which means “mirror reflecting human karma,” it facilitates immersion in quiet introspection through physical-spiritual interaction. Visitors question themselves while observing undulating light, finding rare urban opportunities for inner reflection.

The courtyard center features Haeju, a kinetic art piece symbolizing the mythical pearl consumed by celestial beings and Haetae. Using reflective upper and translucent lower materials, it visualizes wind movement. Its rotating sphere captures changing natural phenomena, offering mystical glimpses beyond ordinary perception while promoting self-reflection.

The sunken area and waterfall connecting the ground floor and basement maintain urban awareness of water, light, and air flows. Earthen structures surrounding the courtyard accumulate natural traces, embracing seasonal changes. These elements of emptiness and nature offer visitors a respite from urban fatigue and a connection with inner quiet. Like Haetae guiding toward righteousness, this space leads tired urbanites to self-reflection and natural harmony on a ‘beneficial path.’

This space ultimately becomes a stage where local history meets modernity, where law and justice intersect with internal reflection amidst natural elements. The void spaces await filling with each visitor’s seasonal and temporal experience.