The global bee population is declining due to a wide range of human factors, such as pesticides, climate change and loss of natural habitat, making it all the more clear how essential these insects are for our food chain in general, but also as the sole purveyor of our beloved honey. In South Korea, the Workerbee honey brand, founded by parent company Local Works, targets a young consumer demographic with an innovative range of new blended honey products that not only resonates with their sensibilities, but also raises awareness, and more importantly, it protects the bee population by supporting bee farmers. Needless to say, the brand abides by the strict HACCP regulations. As said, Workerbee products are marketed towards young consumers, and as such, branding is key. As of late, the brand has opened flagship hospitality format House of B in Jeonju, a vibrant provincial city in the middle of the country, near the grounds where it harvests its precious honey. The House of B café measures no less than 630 sqm. (6,781 sq.ft.) spread across a joined structure consisting of a former hospital and a residential structure. The redevelopment and interior design, created by Seoul-based architecture practice another D studio, has retained certain elements of both buildings yet flaunts a cohesive aesthetic.

The dimensions of the three-story hospital building, now called Mansion, has allowed the Workerbee brand to present a modern sense of space through a series of lifestyle spaces that resonate with its client base, all captured by a bold use of the colour red and natural wood, and in a clean understated design. This makes the brand’s existing brand colour appear more elegant and visually powerful. The old house, rebaptised Villa, has been reinvented as the very cradle of Workerbee, and needless to say, the design oozes a homey vibe. Warm and welcoming, the premises feature dark wood flooring, patterned tiles, and also brick flooring, boosting the guests’ sense of being in a countryside getaway. Unifying the two architectural entities is a connecting passage between the front of the Mansion and the back of the Villa. The House of B shop stocks the brand’s innovative blended honey products, including bottles, jars and minipacks of honey paired with natural ingredients such as ginger, lemon, cinnamon, chocolate and even mojito, which can all be used as a topping or mixed with carbonated water, in addition to honey gift sets.