Invisible Preparation Decides a Good Headquarters: The Daehaknaeil ES Headquarters ②

In fact, interior design begins in places the eye cannot see. Before design comes the groundwork of facilities and infrastructure. To let a space fully serve its function, the construction preparation beneath the surface matters enormously. Take a look at Part 2 of the ‘Daehaknaeil ES headquarters’ project, a six-month overhaul that turned a hospital into an office. As the term ‘interior architecture’ suggests, we introduce a construction process on the scale of architecture itself.

In Part 1 of the Daehaknaeil ES new headquarters project in Gangseo, we focused mostly on the planning and design process. This time, Part 2 dives into the construction process. We turned our attention to the interior-architecture process of SPACEBASE, which builds essential infrastructure first, before any visible design.

👉 Office design that connects generations, Daehaknaeil ES headquarters ①

Interior architecture that starts with building infrastructure

Equipment dismantling and removal work

Q. The Daehaknaeil ES headquarters was a large project that took six months to build. What was that construction process like? In particular, please tell us which parts took longer than expected.

This building was originally constructed as an obstetrics and gynecology hospital. Converting a former hospital into an office required countless renovation tasks. The demolition work alone took more than two months. It took far longer than expected. We had to remove all the equipment and facilities that could not be reused, and the larger pieces of equipment had to be cut into sections just to be carried outside.

There was far more to tear out and throw away than there was to newly install during construction. You could almost say we rebuilt everything from scratch except the exterior walls. (laughs)

Drainage pipes, fire hydrants, restrooms and other facilities were all demolished and rebuilt to suit their location and purpose. On the basement floors, removing mold was no small task either. Once we tore out the finishes, we also had to repair the cracks in the walls and ceilings and the level differences in the floors that only then came to light. To make the worn-out terrace usable and clean, a great deal of work was needed, including waterproofing and laying the floor deck.

Floor pedestal work (*pedestal: a method of laying tiles raised off the ground for drainage)

Q. I had no idea the scope of work an interior company handles was this broad. Please explain the range of interior construction work in more detail.

Many people commonly think of interior design as ‘decorating the parts you can see.’ In fact, until before 1900, the term ‘interior decoration’ was used. It was regarded as an act that went no further than ornamenting and dressing up a space.

But today we use the term ‘ interior architecture .’ It is because the scope of interior work has expanded beyond mere decoration into the act of architecture. To complete spaces large and small, architectural work beyond what meets the eye is required. It demands a high level of expertise to lay out facilities such as fire protection, HVAC, and electrical heating, and to build safely in compliance with legal standards.

We hope that as you look through the construction process of this Daehaknaeil ES headquarters, you can confirm the broad scope of interior work that is called interior architecture.

Basement storage and workroom

Basement nap room

Q. Please tell us how each space changed from the former hospital. Among the eleven floors, was there a space that underwent the biggest transformation?

I’d like to talk about the basement floors. We completely transformed what had originally been the hospital’s machine room and waste-disposal area into a workroom where Daehaknaeil staff prepare for events.

In that process, we stripped out many of the machines in the machine room. It took countless tasks to cut off all the piping and separate the electrical circuits. In the sense that it meant building all the infrastructure anew, you could call it the space that underwent the biggest change.

After demolition and construction, the machine room was reborn as a workroom for sorting items. We placed storage racks and whiteboards in the space, making it a place where staff can organize ideas while looking at event materials. The former grand auditorium was divided in scale and fitted with folding doors so that several workrooms could connect flexibly with one another. The machine-monitoring room was changed into a rest area for the building managers.

What you must know about a headquarters renewal

(Left) Applying waterproofing liquid to the exterior concrete wall (Right) Repairing the stone wall

Q. For a building like the Daehaknaeil headquarters that requires a ‘change of use,’ are there any points that need special attention?

A change of use means rebuilding the inside of the architecture. Enormous changes are needed in the parts you cannot see. To build the infrastructure, you also have to tear out more than you would expect during demolition.

First, a meticulous site check matters more than anything. Even before the design work, SPACEBASE inspected the building five times over two weeks, and afterward checked the necessary parts anew several more times.

Also, the work has to proceed in accordance with the revised fire-safety laws and regulations on facilities for people with disabilities. In the case of the Daehaknaeil headquarters, since the building was completed in 2008, there were parts that had to be changed to meet the new regulations.

Finally, making use of the existing exterior walls and finishes requires a great deal of care. Because you are not building a new structure, you have to find and install materials identical to those of the existing building’s exterior walls. To repair the existing finishes, which bear the marks of time, without any sense of mismatch, we put a lot of effort into cleaning and waterproofing as well.

Tiling work on the wall at the center of the building

Center of the building (AFTER)

Rooftop demolition work

Rooftop (AFTER)

Q. What did you consider important in planning the new circulation scheme? In particular, I’m curious how you designed the connections between floors.

Within the eleven floors, we first checked how often the teams collaborated with one another. Teams with closely related work were placed on adjacent floors. The coworking space and meeting floors used by Daehaknaeil’s various subsidiaries were placed close to the first floor.

Within each individual floor, we also took care to make work circulation convenient. For example, every floor has two gates each. We designed the switch configuration so that the commuting route would be convenient no matter which gate you enter through. We also built in a structure that lets you control the lighting, audio equipment, and heating and cooling units for the entire floor.

Above all, the placement of the rest area used by all employees was important. In the initial RFP, the client requested the staff cafeteria in the basement. Since it is a space used by all members, we proposed moving it to the seventh floor to maximize comfort. The seventh floor is connected to the terrace and outdoor space, so you can enjoy meals and rest far more comfortably.

Demolition work to create outdoor parking space

First floor ISO

Q. For an office building, ample parking space matters too. How were you able to secure additional parking during construction?

Daehaknaeil does a lot of work running corporate events, so a spacious outdoor parking area was absolutely essential. A lot of equipment and event staff had to move around, which meant many vehicles coming and going. For smooth operations, they needed twice as much parking space as before.

So we demolished the wall, the flower beds, and the decorative stone, and widened the outdoor parking area. We also created new parking facilities such as an EV charging station, a parking barrier, an office for the parking attendant, and a canopy at the mechanical-parking entrance. Considering the turning radius of cargo trucks, we widened the access road even further. As this shows, securing the space an office needs required comprehensive construction that encompassed not only the interior space but also the external environment.

Q. If you had to name just three things worth considering in advance during a headquarters renewal, what would they be?

First, there are things you cannot see before demolition. No matter how many times you visit the site and grasp the situation in detail, there are parts that newly come to light only after demolition. Whether construction can proceed as planned can only be determined accurately after demolition.

Second, you have to understand the revised regulations. If the building was completed long ago, you must be sure to check whether it conforms to the current fire-safety laws and regulations on facilities for people with disabilities. You have to check that there are no legal issues and complete any additional work for the parts that fall short.

Third, there may be major facility changes. You may have to completely change the circulation and structure. Beyond the spaces you cannot see, a full review is needed even of the locations of the building’s infrastructure such as water supply, fire protection, electricity, HVAC, and communications. Collaboration with an architect is important in that process as well.

Only after countless tasks like these are carried out does the conversation about design finally begin. Beautiful spatial design can only emerge when there is solid groundwork beforehand. The detailed design that considers convenience is likewise born at the end of the preparation and construction that lay the foundation of a space.

From large-scale demolition to the small details that touch the body, headquarters interior design is a comprehensive architectural project completed by gathering unseen thought and care. The small elements that make up a space may look small and minor, but not one of them is ever made easily. The conditions for completing a good headquarters begin in the unseen places beneath the surface.

👉 See the design and design process of the Daehaknaeil ES headquarters - ①

*Photos and design provided by SPACEBASE

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If you’d like to know more about headquarters renewal,

👉 Inquire about a project with SPACEBASE