Bakemono's first fitout had been a difficult one, and much of the space had ultimately been built by the team themselves. So when it came time to expand, the last thing we wanted to do was erase everything and start again.

We kept what we could, reused what we could, and let the existing space lead the way. The facade, roller shutters and bathroom stayed. Reclaimed timber, leftover porcelain slabs, stainless steel, corten steel and polycarbonate were folded into the new fitout — less waste, fewer unnecessary gestures, more character.

The story behind the design came from the Korean folktale Chunhyangjeon. Two characters from different worlds, drawn together by an invisible connection.
We imagined the original Bakemono and its new neighbour in the same way: two separate personalities, connected through small openings, glimpses and moments between them.
Part hanok, part machiya, part something a little harder to place . The spaces are intended to feel familiar but slightly otherworldly. Two characters, side by side, quietly connected.