As with any leading shopping destination, Berlin‘s retail scene has a cosmopolitan edge that contributes a great deal to its appeal. Pitching in with a distinct Korean flavour is Knok Store, a concept store that has popped up in the city’s increasingly happening Kreuzberg area as the brick and mortar extension of an online store that was initially launched two years ago. Helmed by founders Haelan Kim, an industrial designer and founder of one of South Korea‘s first female fixed gear clubs, and Inti Castellazzi, a Nicaraguan product designer with mixed Italian and Korean roots, the retail concept is as multi-faceted as you’d expect it to be. The entrepreneurial duo secured a 100 sqm. (1,076 sq.ft) retail unit on the ground floor of a mid-20th century residential building, featuring an interior design by architect Robin Belvén and furnishings by Kardamov. The setting is framed by pristine white walls and ceiling, and flooring of solid concrete.
Furnishings are sparse and functional, comprising of custom-made polycarbonate displays with built-in LED lights and traditional patterns that reflect both the Korean homeland’s hi-tech legacy of late and its strong sense of tradition. Additional furnishings and fixtures include sleek black metal clothing racks lining the wall, pendant lamps and ceiling spotlights. A series of framed colour photographs of Dahahm Choi, depicting the soaring skyline of Seoul, add up to the carefully concepted Korean identity of Knok Store. So, what’s on the shelves? Predominantly offering contemporary Korean design in many forms, the store is well-connected with the country’s creative scene, enabling a unique insight and extensive sourcing of new products. The current brand list of Knok Store includes apparel and accessories by Andersson Bell, Rawrow bags, ceramics by Onjeom, Yun shades, and vases and pots by Craft Combine.
Knok Store
Hasenheide 54 (Kreuzberg)
10967 Berlin
Telephone: +49 30 27971548
Mon-Sat 11-7
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
