An integral part of Lotte Corporation, one of South Korea‘s largest and most influential chaebols or industrial conglomerates, Lotteria reigns supreme in the country’s fast food market. Although originally founded in Tokyo in 1972, the company has since expanded across Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and last but not least, South Korea where it’s actually the biggest burger chain and currently operating over 1,300 locations. Very recently, the restaurant chain launched Lotteria L7, an innovative retail concept in one of the most buzzing neighbourhoods in Seoul, and it’s one that taps right into the sensibilities of the young crowds that flock there. Occupying an area of approx. 254 sqm. (2,734 sq.ft.) on the ground floor of Hongdae Station, one of the main stops on the city’s Line 2 underground, the shop features a collaborative interior design by local practices BY SEOG BE SEOG and The Synergist. Lotteria has been active in the country since 1979 and is one of the country’s oldest burger parlours, so the two aforementioned practices proposed an entirely new format in a Lotteria location which had actually already closed its doors a while ago.
Given the fact that the area is seen nationwide as a veritable hotbed of trends, the location also has potential to allow Lotteria to connect to a younger and more on-trend demographic. As such, the chosen aesthetic is based on an architectural approach, one that’s focused on volumes and proportions, rather than an emphasis on decoration. In fact, decorative elements have been left out as much as possible, and instead, the design revolves around carefully defined, interconnected volumes which have a different visual dynamic when seen from the outside and the inside. Lotteria L7 steers clear from the usual burger parlour concept by way of a sleek interior design, different range of offerings, and last but not least, the use of nifty electronics. This new outpost is an unmanned smart store, featuring electronic kiosks where shoppers can order their snack of choice, vending machines which sell sauces, and a sekf-service drinks station. After ordering, shoppers pick a spot in the tiered, 30-seat dining zone. A clear ‘ding-dong’ sound indicates when an order can be fetched from one of the windows in the pick-up zone. The menu at Lotteria L7 lists various hamburgers, including a signature hamburger with triple beef patties, soft drinks and desserts.
Lotteria L7
Hongdae Station, 141 Yanghwa-ro, Ground Floor (Hongdae)
03995 Seoul
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.
