Contemporary Seoul Architecture: An Introduction

10 Magazine Asia, vol.02 November 2008, spread 1

10 Magazine Asia, vol.02 November 2008, spread 2

Contemporary Seoul Architecture
by Jessica Ihn + Jang-Yun Kim

The Korean version of the article (translated by Jang-Yun Kim) can be found here:  http://nonplace.webice.kr/wordpress/?page_id=74.

Introduction:

When thinking about cities of great architecture, Seoul does not come to mind – after all, Hilberseimer*1-esque blocks cloned with little or no consideration across a hilly typography is hardly architecture, let alone of the good kind. Looking across the Seoul cityscape, there is a surreal feeling that you’re seeing Le Corbusier’s Plan Voisin de Paris superimposed over Korean mountains. Thanks to rapid post-war construction and a misinterpreted Corbusian “buildings as machines” mentality developed by the dictatorship regime to gear the economy, there exists a building culture of ‘as fast as possible with the least expense’, so that at first glance, it appears that Koreans care little about the built environment.

Le Corbusier: Plan Voisin de Paris, 1925.

Hilberseimer: Hochhausstadt, 1924.

Background:
Seoul’s rapid growth in its economic boom years saw an attack of the Hilberseimer apartment clones*2 on the city, which has affected the way Koreans think about their buildings. While there is a rich history of building culture in Korea, this was mostly limited to government commissions, with only a small number of private commissions made to design buildings. Rather than an architect designing a building, there was a culture of master builders and craftsman working together in a system not unlike those that created the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe. As Korea became industrialized, this system was replaced by an interpretation of the European Modernists’ “buildings as machines” ideology – and given the Koreans’ aptitude for implementing foreign concepts with greater zeal and success than their predecessors who came up with the idea in the first place, (think Confucianism, Christianity, Capitalism, and in the North, Communism…) it should be of no surprise that Korea managed to outdo the Modernists’ utopia to the point where the initial concept and aims has been forgotten, the results bearing little resemblance to the visionary goals that they supposedly came from.

Understanding Architecture:
The culture of apartments that grew from this mass development has perhaps assisted in distorting the general publics perception of buildings and architecture. A resident of an apartment block that was built by one of the chaebols has little, if any, input into the design, use and maintenance of the building. Key issues and parameters such as site orientation, planning, circulation, form and environment performance are left to the developers to address, who rarely, if at all, consider such issues above the minimum standard. Residents’ input into their living environment then, becomes strictly limited to the interiors of their apartments at a simplistic, cosmetic level. Eighty percent of Korea’s population live in urbanized areas, and of these, a further eighty percent live in apartments – which equates to, theoretically, 31 million people living in a space that they had no say in the creation of, and whose understanding of architecture is limited to mere decoration. This may be a mass sweeping generalization, but it has been observed that even with alternative living typologies becoming affordable, many people still prefer to live in their mass produced, pre-packaged and climate controlled bubble in strata space. Furthermore, so-called redevelopments continue to adopt a tabula-rasa approach to urban planning, with large areas of existing residential housing razed in order to build more apartments.

Architecture?
Korea is a country with a smart, hard-working population that has helped it become one of the world’s richest countries. It has a strong skill base in all of the industries that are the foundations of the world’s developed economies. In addition, it also has a fine tradition in arts and crafts, and a thriving contemporary art scene. So what happened to architecture?

Engineering, Interiors & Facadism:
Perhaps the answer lies in the education of Korea’s architects. Architecture is not art, nor is it science, but a mix of both, with a bit of sociology and economics throw in. However a student wanting to study Architecture in Korea has two options – building engineering, or interior design. That intermediary space, that place in-between calculating dead loads on a concrete cantilever, and ensuring that the fabric on your pillow cover is colour coordinated with your toothbrush holder, is missing. You can read this limited understanding of architecture in the streets, where buildings with standardized planning and orientation are fitted out with super-slick interiors. Conversely there are many buildings that receive facade makeovers, some by international ‘starchitects’ – UN Studio’s facade for the Galleria Department Store, and Daniel Libeskind’s ‘Tangent‘ facade for the Hyundai Development Headquarters, are fine examples of great international architects performing mere cosmetic surgery in Seoul.

UN Studio: Galleria Department Store (Photo: J.Ihn)

Libeskind: Tangent facade for Hyundai HQ (Photo from Architect’s website)

A new awareness:
As Korea has come of age, a new awareness and desire for better urban and natural environments – that goes beyond the pure aesthetic – has emerged. Perhaps the key project that reflects this positive shift in the desire for better environments is the Cheonggyecheon Stream project. Completed in 2005 and proudly flouted as one of the most beautiful natural places in Seoul by the tourism board, it is poorly designed and hardly an example of a sustainable system, given that the water flow is artificially pumped in from the mains. From an architectural point of view there is much room for improvement. That said, the area is usually crowded with locals and tourists, giving visitors a ‘chill out’ space where regular public events can take place. It has improved the area significantly by providing an intermediary space, a break in the urban fabric, and this is what makes Cheonggyecheon a successful, sustainable urban project – not the stream, the trees nor the 12.04 km of walking paths. Similarly, the Hangang ‘Renaissance’ project currently in development is further evidence of the citizenry’s desire for better environments.

Cheonggyecheon Stream development (Photos from http://sfucity.wordpress.com/)

A caution:

While grateful for the new recognition, there is an unease in the local architectural community that Architects and Architecture is becoming marketed as a luxury fashion item, a symbol of wealth and status exclusive to those fortunate enough to afford it. International architects are increasingly being hired to design flagship buildings, with mixed results – it is always interesting to compare the work of these architects with projects in their respective countries that have a historically stronger appreciation of architecture. There are of course exceptions to this: Dominique Perrault’s Ehwa Campus Center, OMA’s Museum of Art at Seoul National University, Mario Botta’s Kyobo Bookstore, and the Rodin Museum by Kohn Pedersen Fox, which are all excellent examples of foreign architects producing quality architecture in Seoul.

Domique Perrault: Ehwa Campus Center (Photo: J.Ihn)

OMA: Museum of Art at Seoul National University (Photo: J.Ihn)

Mario Botta: Kyobo Bookstore (photo: Architect’s website)

Kohn Pedersen Fox: Rodin Museum (photo: Timothy Hursley)

Dongdaemun and the ‘World Design City 2010′:

“The vision of the World Design Capital (WDC) project is to promote and encourage the use of design to further the social, economic and cultural development of the world’s cities. In this spirit, the WDC will honour those cities that use design to revitalise and reinvent their urban environment.” (World Design Capital website)

Seoul has been appointed the World Design City for 2010, and the crown jewel in this title is the current redevelopment of Dongdaemun Stadium into a Design Plaza and Park. Designed by the biggest starchitect of them all, Zaha Hadid, the proposal has seen some critics shaking their heads and muttering ‘Bilbao effect’*3. Hadid’s spectacular project, titled “Metonymic Landscape” will definitely provide an attraction to the area, however it has been criticized for being inconsiderate of the significant local history of Dongdaemun as a place of sport and cultural gatherings, and as a market. Critics have also claimed that the futuristic, titanium structure will clash with existing historical buildings. As Hadid’s statements on her proposal are not readily available we cannot comment on what her intentions behind her design are, and looking at the imagery released our reactions are mixed. It does seem at this stage, that Hadid’s project will provide more ‘bling’ rather than a genuine, thoughtful piece of architecture for the city. Keeping that in mind however, there is an opportunity for this project to again raise the general publics awareness of architecture, which can only be a positive thing.

Zaha Hadid: Dongdaemun Redevelopment proposal (Image: Zaha Hadid Architects)

Architectural Tour of Seoul:
In spite of our critical, almost pessimistic view on Seoul architecture, there are an increasing number of wonderful projects in the city that are a must for any visitor interested in contemporary architecture:

1: The recently heritage listed SPACE Group HQ Building by the late Swoo-Geun Kim truly deserves a place in Korean architectural history. The legendary architect designed some 70 buildings in Korea and is considered to be the father of modern Korean architecture. Built to house Kim’s architectural practice SPACE, and the offices of the journal publication of the same name, it is a relatively small building with a great diversity of spaces and the play in scale is executed with great taste and skill. The distinct, intricate use of brickwork that is characteristic of Kim’s work is exemplary in this building, and can also be seen in the Arko Arts Center in Daehangno (1979), Kyoungdong Presbyterian Church (1981) in Changchung-dong (these two buildings are readily accessible to the public, unlike the SPACE HQ building).
Kim’s successor to the SPACE Group, Sea-Young Chang, designed the extension in 1997, and it is a rare example of a contemporary building that complements the original. Between the two buildings there is a small atrium and a pagoda, creating a trifecta of modernist, contemporary and traditional architecture all in the one complex and is an excellent example of critical regionalism*4.

Swoo-Geun Kim: SPACE Group HQ (Photo: J.Ihn)

Sea-Young Chang: SPACE Group HQ Extension (Photo: J.Ihn)

2: Min-Suk Cho is probably the most well known Korean architect on the current international scene. The Columbia graduate is more of an architect of the contemporary global vernacular, and it was his Pixel House, 2003 (Cho Slade Architects) that first drew international notice to his work. The projects from his current practice, Mass Studies, continue to be fawned over by critics in architectural magazines and journal publications. One of the firm’s speculative projects, Seoul Commune 2026, provided a radical proposal for an alternative community structure in an urban environment as dense and complex as Seoul. Of the firm’s built projects, The Ann Demeulemeester Shop in Sinsa is one of the few buildings by the architects that is readily accessible to the public. The most striking aspect of this project is its living facade – a geotextile planted with a perennial that has often been misinterpreted as a sign of “green/environmentally sustainable” design. It has however, created a fantastic aesthetic, and its response to local scale, while still being a striking building, is impressive. Unlike many buildings in Seoul, this little shop manages to elegantly define the borders of natural/artificial, interior/exterior space, while at the same time integrating them experientially.

Mass Studies: Ann Demeulemeester Shop (photos: J.Ihn)

3: Ssamji-Gil, designed by Moon-Gyu Choi, is a shopping mall which became a catalyst for the revitalization of Insadong. Unlike the tabula-rasa mentality commonly seen in many building projects, the existing street shops were rebuilt and incorporated into the new center, and, along with the setback of the building, allows for the complex to melt into the street-scape. The circulation around the atrium allows for shoppers to browse through the unique stores, while being able to experience public events that take place in the central space. Elegant detailing and simple contemporary materials – brick, glass, concrete – are used to create pockets of intermediary space and moments of joy – the kind that makes architectural students whip out their cameras, pointing and scream “oooh check out that joinery detail!” The complex is not flashy or visually adorned with superficial building ‘bling’ – and it works. There is a hum, a collective energy in this space generated by the use of the building, it’s infectious and it’s what architecture is all about.

Moon-Gyu Choi: Ssamji-Gil Mall (photos: J.Ihn)

4: With an intriguing facade and a rare construction style for the area at the time, the Lee Dong Soo Building stood out when it first opened in 1993, and maintains much of its original structure after its recent reincarnation into the Daily Projects Building. It was designed by a team of Korean and Japanese architects including Lee Du-yeol, Choi Jeong-hoon, Kim Chang-gyeong and Rikuo Nishimori, and its ability to generate and maintain user interaction is its greatest strength. Like Ssamji-Gil it is comfortable space elegantly composed of simple materials, where ordinary people can do ordinary, daily things, like eat, drink, read and relax.

Lee Du-yeol, Choi Jeong-hoon, Kim Chang-gyeong and Rikuo Nishimori: Daily Projects Building (photos: J.Ihn)

5: If you only had half a day in Seoul and you wanted to get the most architectural bang for your buck so to speak, a visit to the Leeum Gallery should do the trick. You can, at the same time, experience some fantastic Korean contemporary & traditional art. The masterplanning of the complex (by Rem Koolhaas of OMA) houses three galleries, designed by international starchitects Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and OMA. Having seen other buildings by all three architects in their respective countries, all three galleries are excellent examples of the distinct design approach taken by Botta, Nouvel and OMA, and little of their architectural language has been lost in their translation to Korea.

Leeum Gallery Entrance (photo: J.Ihn)

Mario Botta’s gallery houses the traditional arts collection, and can be read as a set of two joined volumes, an inverted cone and linear block. The exhibition spaces are windowless in order to protect the delicate collection from sunlight, and the light filled cone that houses the gallery’s primary circulation provides a pleasant contrast. The circulation through the gallery is traditional yet innovative in that the experience of moving down the stairs is disorienting, although the space is a regular, inverted cone. Moving through the light filled rotunda is a subtle, illusionary experience through its play between static and dynamic space.

Mario Botta: Leeum Gallery (photo: J.Ihn)

Jean Nouvel’s gallery, a black steel structure set into stone gabion walls, with steel volumes supported within that defines the exhibit spaces, houses the permanent contemporary collection which includes work by Lee Bul, Nam June Paik, Mark Rothko, Donald Judd and Damien Hirst. It is an impressive, fluid space, and though the planning is more conventional it frames the exhibition spaces in a rhythmic and picturesque way from the intermediary pockets of landscape that are visible from within.

Jean Nouvel: Leeum Gallery (photo: J.Ihn)

The OMA building, for temporary contemporary exhibitions, is quite original in its planning and a distinct break from the traditional gallery layout. It is perhaps, the only example of such planning in Seoul. The gallery’s dominant feature is a suspended black concrete box, confronting visitors with its scale upon entrance, while also creating varying light conditions within the space. Circulation is centered around the box by moving under, into and above it, providing a dynamic spatial experience.

OMA: Leeum Gallery (photo: J.Ihn)

Looking forward:
While in the recent past holding a skeptical view on Korean contemporary architecture has been reasonable, today this is not the case. There is little doubt that a new awareness and recognition of architecture and urban environments is here to stay in Korea. The general public is increasingly demanding better civic environments of their governments, and it is encouraging to see more important projects receive attention from an architectural point of view, not just as a means-to-an-end construction. In the academic and educational fields, the recent changes in architecture schools is exciting – more and more schools are setting up independent architecture faculties (rather than as a subset of engineering) with the course duration increased to a 5 year Bachelor of Architecture program (in line with international degree programs). This is in addition to the improvements in the quality of architectural education in Korea. In addition, returning graduates from overseas architecture schools will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and experience in a manner that integrates professionalism with cultural sensitivity and intelligent interpretation.
This combination of increased social awareness and better education, along with continued economic prosperity, is creating a very exciting climate for Korean contemporary architecture. We have already seen the contribution of many international architects improve awareness and appreciation, as well as the growing maturity and influence of the local architecture community. It is impossible to accurately imagine what Seoul could be like 5, 10 years from now, given the rapid pace at which the city regenerates itself, but if current measures are anything to go by we just might see a city that genuinely deserves its appointed title of ‘World Design City 2010″.

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*1: Ludwig Hilberseimer (1885-1967) German-American Architect & Urban planner, best known for his ties to the Bauhaus and his urban planning work at the IIT in Chicago, Illinois.
*2: Hilberseimer blocks: The slab apartment blocks that dominate the Seoul skyline
*3: The ‘Bilbao Effect’: a media-coined term used to describe the process of hiring a “Star-architect” to design a prestige building with the intention to produce a landmark for the city. The name refers to Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum supposedly putting the city of Bilbao on the ‘world map’.
*4: Critical regionalism is an approach to architecture that strives to counter the placelessness and lack of meaning in Modern Architecture by using contextual forces to give a sense of place and meaning. The term critical regionalism was first used by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre and later more famously by Kenneth Frampton. [Wikipedia]

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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, they do not reflect the views of their employers, universities, publishers or colleagues.

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Jessica Ihn (인지현) is a Korean-Australian who holds a Bachelor of Building Planning and Design (Arch) from the University of Melbourne. She has lived, worked and studied in Korea, the US, Australia, and Europe. She is currently undertaking her Masters in Architecture at RMIT University. Her research interests are in parametric design and modeling, and Asian Urbanism. She is currently a member of Studio Kovac-Prix, a design research studio collaboration between RMIT and the Vienna School of Applied Arts. She hopes to work in Korea as an Architect on completion of her studies. She can be contacted at: injihyun@gmail.com

Jang-Yun Kim (김장윤) is a Korean national who completed his Bachelor of Building Planning and Design (Architecture) at the University of Melbourne. During this time he also spent a semester on exchange at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. He has lived and studied in Korea, Australia and Europe. He has worked in Seoul as part of Flying City, a design group collective of architects, artists and designers. He is currently preparing to complete his architectural studies in Europe or Australia.

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Seoul Contemporary Architecture List – Links: (in order of mention)

UN Studio; Galleria Department Store (facade & interior renovation); 2004
Program: Faccade design, refurbishment of interior, design of interior furniture
135-110 Apgujong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
http://www.unstudio.com/projects/country/kr/1/141

Daniel Libeskind; Hyundai Development Corporation (faccade); 2005;
Program: Facade design
Local Architect: Himma Architecture Studio
Glass curtain wall cladding with aluminium on existing concrete building
160-12, 15, 16 Samsung-dong , Gangnam-gu, Seoul
http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/projects/show-all/tangent/

Dominique Perrault, Ewha Women’s University Campus Centre; 2008;
Local Architect: Baum Architects
Program: Campus Center, compromising of academic, administration and commercial program
11-1 Daehyungdong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
http://www.perraultarchitecte.com

Office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), Seoul National University Museum of Art; 2005
Local Architect: Samoo Architects & Engineers
Program: Exhibition, Educational, Library and Operations
56-1 Sillim 9-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
http://www.oma.eu/index.php?option=com_projects&view=portal&id=189&Itemid=10
http://www.snumoa.org/main.swf

Mario Botta; Kyobo Book Store; 2003;
Local Architect: Chang-Jo Architects
Program: Commercial Tower, Retail
Corner Gangnam-Dae Road and Sa-Pyong Road, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
http://www.botta.ch/Page/Re%202003_330_KyoboTower_en%20(Pu).php

Kohn Peterson Fox Architects, Rodin Museum Seoul; 1997
Local Architect: Samoo Architects & Engineers
Program: Corporate Offices, Museum & plaza, retail & commercial complex
150 Taepyeongno 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
http://www.kpf.com/main.asp
http://rodin.samsungfoundation.org/

Kim Swoo Geun; SPACE Group Headquarters; 1978
Chang Sea Young: SPACE Group Headquarters Extension; 1997
219 Wonseo-dong, Jongno-Gu, Seoul
http://www.spacea.com/eng/main.asp

Kim Swoo Geun; Arko Arts Center; 1979
100 Daehangno, Jongno-gu, Seoul
http://arkoartcenter.or.kr/

Kim Swoo Geun; Kyoungdong Presbytarian Church; 1981
Changchung-dong 1 Ka, 26-6
http://www.kdchurch.or.kr/english.html

Cho Slade Architects; Pixel House; 2003
F60-1 Heyri Art Valley Paju City, Kyonggido, Korea
http://www.massstudies.com
Mass Studies: Seoul Commune 2026 (speculative project)
Apgujong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
http://www.massstudies.com

Mass Studies; Ann Demeulemeester Shop; 2007;
Program: Retail Store, restaurant.
Materials: vertical garden (Pachysandra terminalis), exposed color concrete
650-14 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
http://www.massstudies.com

Choi Moon-Gyu; Ssamji-gil Mall;
Program: Retail, Public Exhibition
38 Ssamjinaegil, Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Lee Du-yeol, Choi Jeong-hoon, Kim Chang-gyeong, Rikuo Nishimori; Daily Projects Building; 1993/2007 (renovation)
Program: Exhibition, Retail, Commercial
Hakdong Intersection, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
http://www.dailyprojects.kr

OMA, Jean Nouvel, Mario Botta; Leeum Gallery; 2004
Local Architects: Samoo Architects & Engineers
Program: Exhibition space, offices, children’s center
747-18, Hannam-Don, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul, South Korea 140-893
http://www.oma.eu/index.php?option=com_projects&view=portal&id=181&Itemid=10
http://www.jeannouvel.com
http://www.botta.ch/Page/Re%202004_299_Leeum_en%20(Pu).php
http://leeum.samsungfoundation.org/html/intro.asp