When one enters the narrow, long alleyway in Noha-dong, Sechon, which is a village located in the west of Gyeongbokgung, there is a house with its nameplate, listing the two-syllable word of 'Nuwa'. It’s a hidden hanok building of about 33 square meters that you would miss if you weren’t looking out for it. Here, one can appreciate the arts of everyday life and yet, a unique isolation. Nuwa proposes the idea of 'Wa(臥, lying down)-yu(遊, playing)' as another way to enjoy the arts. As its characters imply, Wayu literally means to pass time by reading a book or viewing a picture. Therefore, having a wayu in this house would refer to feeling the air inside the house and staring at the garden while listening to the quiet music with either a book or a cup of tea in one’s hand.

Nuwa’s falcate layout consists of multiples zones focusing on water, wood, tea ceremonies, and wayu. Tools for the tea ceremony are carefully prepared on the low table that is made for old-fashioned lifestyle. Next to them, there is an open-air bath that joins with the floor seamlessly. Besides the low bed is a round window that captures the sunlight and a view of the garden. Charming landscape touches such as the modern reinterpretation of the folding screen and lighting that is inspired from kerosene lamps, around wooden furniture and a stone interior, all bring fun to exploring the space. All the decorations in the house are suitable additions to the resting place for either one person or two people.

Nuwa allows one to dream of an extraordinary departure to one’s own secret location in Seochon. It is indeed a place in which one can solely focus on themselves for pure comfort. Within the obscure disconnection from the outer world, one can realize the power of immersion into one’s own mind. Perhaps you will even be able to perceive a different dimension. The spatial sensation provided by this space could potentially wake up a person to become someone new. As you put down your phone or laptop for a brief moment to stare at the small garden in the yard while bathing in the tub, impressions such as ‘these certainly are the times that I desperately need my busy daily life’ or ‘this definitely is the art that Nuwa wants to convey’ may come across your mind.

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Photo by Texture on Texture