EMILY PRUSAKOWSKI
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE | BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

Celadon Coffee Corner was completed in Hojung Kim’s Spring 2023 studio, which focused on designing a hotel lobby that also serves as a public space on the ground floor of New York City’s Flatiron Building. The design was informed by extensive research into a traditional Asian art form, with inspiration drawn from Thai celadon pottery.

The concept behind Celadon Coffee Corner captures the fluid motion of wet clay in the traditional Thai process of forming celadon pottery, a craft that dates back to the 15th century. Thai celadon is traditionally created using a glaze made from the ash of Lithocarpus ceriferus and Terminalia alta trees, mixed with clay from paddy fields and fired at high temperatures. The intricate, handmade nature of this process inspired the dynamic forms and movement reflected in the design.

To evoke the organic flow of shaping wet clay, mesh wire screens were incorporated, referencing the materials commonly used in pottery while maintaining an airy, open atmosphere. The space is characterized by fluid, softened forms that transform the once-sharp and angular architecture into a more inviting and harmonious environment.

Seating is abundant, with bookshelves integrated into the coffee shop area and mezzanine, creating a cozy public library where visitors can comfortably study, work, or read for hours. Opposite the coffee counter, the hotel lobby, exclusively for guests, features similarly styled seating that offers a serene retreat from the bustling streets of New York.

Custom light fixtures are strategically placed throughout the space to ensure a seamless and immersive experience. At the heart of the design, a striking spiral staircase near the elevators serves as a sculptural focal point, symbolizing the graceful, swirling motion of pottery in the making.