Bagel-inspired details and flexible furniture shape Seoul bakery’s open interior
JOJOWORKSHOP designs a compact neighborhood bakery in Munjeong-dong, Seoul, featuring an open kitchen and bagel-themed architectural elements.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- JOJOWORKSHOP designed the Achime Bagel bakery in Munjeong-dong, Seoul.
- An open kitchen places the daily bread-making process on central display.
- Materials include a restrained palette of white surfaces, timber, stainless steel, and red accents.
- Custom furniture pieces are built to be movable and flexibly adapted to operational needs.
JOJOWORKSHOP has taken charge of the interior design for Achime Bagel, a local bakery situated in Munjeong-dong, Seoul, aiming to craft a compact space that gently accompanies the start of every day. The bakery operates on a daily production and sales model, preparing and selling fresh bagels within the same 24-hour cycle. The straightforward and diligent approach of the architects is expressed throughout the interior design. Rather than aiming for a heavily decorated aesthetic, the focus centers on revealing the daily bread-making process and the individuals behind the preparation.
An open kitchen anchors the heart of the layout, placing the actions of ingredient preparation, dough shaping, and baking directly on view for visitors to observe the morning rhythm. The workspace and customer seating zone remain closely linked, allowing the warmth of freshly baked goods and active kitchen operations to merge into the overall spatial experience. The interior relies on a restrained palette consisting of white surfaces, warm timber, stainless steel, green tiles, and vivid red accents.
The architectural trend of incorporating open kitchens in compact retail spaces serves a functional and psychological purpose. By stripping away physical barriers between production and consumption, businesses build transparency and trust with their customers. In artisan food spaces, witnessing the craftsmanship firsthand elevates a routine commercial transaction into a memorable sensory experience.
White surfaces provide a bright and clear background, while timber infuses warmth and familiarity into the room. Stainless steel is applied in zones requiring high hygiene and durability, and red highlights function as visual signals injecting energy and brand identity. Custom objects and furniture pieces are crafted as physical extensions of the brand's core narrative.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The Achime Pickup Wall was specifically created for takeout and delivery orders, featuring a form that mimics piled-up bagels waiting to leave the premises. Its shelves and cabinets are movable and detachable, allowing the furniture layout to respond dynamically to changing operational demands. Drawing inspiration from the imagery of an unfolding rolled message, the design team at JOJOWORKSHOP built the Achime Sign Board to communicate the bakery updates and upcoming plans in an approachable manner.
At the entrance, a circular timber handle explicitly mirrors the silhouette of a bagel. Fabricated from solid wood and enlarged to a diameter of 180 millimeters, this handle turns a familiar everyday form into a distinct architectural gesture. Most furniture items are custom-built to match the compact dimensions of the store, requiring multiple iterations concerning circulation, storage placement, equipment positioning, and customer flow.
Source: designboom
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