Seoul’s bustling streets seem far away from the Milmila Yoga Center, which uses the contrast of concrete and wood to create a peaceful space for meditation in the city’s heart.

100A Associates designed the wellness space, which it says ‘reflects the physical properties of a tree that has been carefully trimmed to focus on the unity and communion of the self.’

Yoga rooms are lined floor-to-ceiling with wood and framed by large windows that look out onto the studio’s outdoor space. The city’s presence can be felt via a rough stone pillar that juts into the studio – which is tucked away behind a steel entranceway, reached via a long climb uphill.

Practitioners can choose to workout in several spaces across the yoga studio, including the grass-screened garden or a pebbly roof terrace looking over the nearby Mt Namsan. The balance between city and nature is further emphasised in Milmila’s bathroom, where a moss-covered boulder supports a sink.

‘Soft elements, heavy objects, and the flexibility of the boundary where nature interacts help you experience the flexibility of the body and the openness of emotions,’ explains 100A Associates.

Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

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