Welcome back to our 2-part series, where we explore stillness found in unexpected corners of the busiest landscapes.
Every city carries its own rhythm.
Some are fast-paced and layered with constant movement. Others reveal themselves more quietly, through details found between buildings and streets. This is where we continue to find inspiration; in spaces that exist simply as they are.
Seoul
We began in Seoul.
Much of how we see and design comes from observing its streets and people; not just the main districts, but the smaller alleys and working spaces in between.
Narrow streets, small workshops and tightly packed buildings shape the environment. The city feels dense, with movement happening close to everything. Materials of the city are noticeable to the eye.
Concrete, metal, worn surfaces around the cityscape had been shaped by everyday use rather than design. The everyday is very much the starting point and foundation of how we approach designing and presenting our pieces.
Singapore
Our outdoor shoot in Singapore stems from a similar vantage point. Our time spent in an industrial district of the island saw open yards, brick walls and steel structures forming the backdrop of this shoot; spaces built for function and not display.
At first glance, the environment may feel purely utilitarian. Lines of pipes against walls, faded doors and worn surfaces - textures shaped by time and use.
Compared to Seoul, these spaces somehow feel more open and structured, yet with a similar foundation of materials that have been shaped by everyday work and movement. There is beauty in the utilitarian and the everyday.
A Shared Perspective
The environments in Seoul and Singapore are different, but both offer moments of raw beauty amidst organised chaos, where everyday spaces of work form the perfect backdrop for presenting our pieces.
Designed with a perspective shaped in Seoul - where we first began to notice beauty in everyday spaces - these pieces naturally find themselves fitting and moving naturally between cities.
At Saero, inspiration often begins with simple observations from the lived environment around us. A street, a surface, a moment of light - appearing in different cities, but bearing the same beauty we have come to appreciate always.
By observing these spaces, we are reminded that beauty and stillness is not something we look for somewhere, but something we can find where we already are.
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Seoul shots comprise of spaces in Gangbuk, Seoul, South Korea and Singapore shots were taken at industrial area in East Singapore