Everyday Miracle: Architecture

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

[Korea] The MVL Hotel - The Most Valuable Life

I was invited by KOCIS to visit Yeosu Expo 2012 and Yeosu Tour for three days. While I was in Yeosu, I was so grateful to be able to stay in The MVL Hotel (엠블 호텔) for two nights, once in the Superior type and the other night at the Terrace Suite.

The MVL Hotel seen from the Navy ship that was open for public on the Navy Day

The MVL is a landmark building located within the Expo area. It is just walking distance from the Expo gate, thus it is very comfortable to stay there on your visit to Expo. It has 310 guest rooms and 26 floors. The hotel is the first-seven-star hotel built in South Jeolla province. 7 stars hotel! I never dream about staying in a high-class hotel like this!

ROOMS

Guest rooms in the MVL consist of Superior, Deluxe, Suite (Tower Suite, Terrace Suite and Executive Suite) and Noblian Suite (Silver Suite, Gold Suite and Royal Suite). All rooms are sophisticated and perfectly designed. The furniture is designed carefully and in detail.

The Living Room - Terrace Suite

Bedroom - Terrace Suite

Detail of Living Room

Bedroom - Superior Room

Details

Details - Hangeul, Korean Alphabet

In the MVL hotel, you can find well designed products in the bathroom, bedroom, pantry or every part in the hotel which designed with the motive of Hangeul - the Korean alphabet. You can easily see it on the pillow cover design, runner, plates, packaging, and many more!

Bathroom - Superior Room

Have I told you that all rooms in the MVL have view to the ocean? The view from the room was awesome. From my room, I can see the Expo, the ship, the ocean an the mountain at the background. On the other day, I have view to Odong island which located next to the Expo site.

View of Expo from Superior Room

RESTAURANTS
There are four restaurants in the MVL:
- Mare e Cielo, a restaurant and bar on the 26th floor where you can see the breathtaking scenery of the Expo and ocean through the window.
- Adria, where we had our morning buffet. The food and the atmosphere of the restaurant with its high-ceiling is great!
- Estrella, a spot where you can have coffee and cakes.
- Tavola Tavola, an outdoor dining with the night view of Odong island.

Bread - Adria

Sweet Treats - Adria

Veggie & Fruits - Adria

Nice presentation - Adria

The Counter - Estrella

Estrella

Outdoor Dining - Tavola-Tavola

The View of Expo from Tavola Tavola

FACILITIES

The MVL is equipped with many facilities such as sauna, fitness, cafe (Cafe Indigo), flower shop (La Flora), Good & Goods, and also a Business Center. For corporate banquet, the MVL has seven places for banquet with the capacity of 450 people.

The Lobby

Hotel Entrance

Hotel corridor

Business Center

Good & Goods

Post cards of the MVL

There are two postcards of the MVL available inside the stationery kit in every room. I brought them home as souvenir and one of them will definitely be my postcard collection. The other one will be send as soon as possible to my best friend.

I would like to thank KOCIS for the chance to stay in the great hotel such as the MVL. I did enjoy the stay there and I couldn't wait no longer to share about the MVL to everyone. I hope you enjoy the pictures. ^^

Reference:

The MVL Hotel

Friday, February 3, 2012

[Korea] Haewoojae, Mr Toilet House

Haewoojae (or Mr Toilet House) is the name of the house of the late Mr Sim Jae-duck, located in Suwon. Haewoojae has the meaning of a house to relieve worries and the name came from Haewooso, the toilet referred to in temples.

I visited this place with the group of World Students Korea 5th Batch last year. It was written only 'Haewoojae' in the schedule without any explanation about it, so I didn't aware that we were going to go to a house that has a toilet shape as its architecture!

Mr. Sim jae-duck renovated his own house and named it as 'Haewoojae' in commemoration of the establishment of the World Toilet Association. After the passing of Sim Jae-duck, the family members donated Mr Toilet House to Suwon City.

He was born with a passion to develop the toilet culture movement, that is why he was given the name 'Mr. Toilet'. The house is recorded by Korea Record Institue as 'the largest toilet structure work' as the first of its kind in Korea in 2007.

Toilet culture movement itself, started when he himself as the Mayor of Suwon City was preparing for the 2002 FIFA World Cup games in Suwon. He declared that all public toilets in Suwon to be made as the most beautiful toilet in the world.

Conventional toilet and the beautiful toilet projects in Suwon

First Floor

On the first floor, you can see many pictures about the conventional toilet and improvement project around the world (including my country, Indonesia), interesting toilet story where you can see many toilet signs around the world and stories about toilet, and also toilet culture movement in Suwon.

The shape of the house is just like the shape of a toilet with the toilet in the middle of the house which bring out the central part of living (see the pink color in the middle of the 1st floor plan, it is the toilet!).

Mr Sim Jae-duck thought that toilet should not be always at the back or hidden somewhere, dirty or should not be exposed. He has another point of view. The toilet became the space for him to appreciate the outdoor garden or spend time to think things over the frontal glass at normal times (see the picture above - Transparent Glass) . But when the toilet is 'in used' - the light is on for physical needs - the glass is turned into unclear glass design. Interesting!

Looking around the first floor.

Second Floor

Second floor is dedicated for the passionate life of Sim Jae-duck. Also, you can go to the roof top, to take picture and look around the site. There will be the first 'toilet culture park' next to the Mr Toilet House, that will be built soon.