After a successful previous collaboration on Hankook’s R&D centre in Daejeon, they teamed up again with Foster + Partners to design their new headquarters in Pangyo, on the outskirts of Seoul.
The result is a glass cube defined by a large atrium that opens up the building. The headquarters houses Hankook's offices and a state-of-the-art business centre that includes a 175-seat auditorium.
The ten-storey office is wrapped with glass louvres at varying levels of density to moderate light coming in depending on the activities taking place inside. Social areas allow for more light to come in. Workplaces have stricter control complemented by an intelligent artificial lighting system.
The floor plates spiral around a central atrium that allows visual connections across the different levels. The void aims to encourage staff interaction, while also letting natural light deep into the heart of the building.
“We wanted to design a workplace that was tailored to Hankook’s needs and their desire to create a new egalitarian working culture. Top-level executives are co-located with their teams on different levels, which promotes interaction between the key members, and enables a more fluid flow of information within the company. The open-plan workspaces can be configured organically to promote collaboration between different teams and also provide private space for smaller groups and individuals, all of this enables the building to adapt to changing needs over time, incorporating new ways of working as technologies evolve.”
David Nelson, Head of Design, Foster + Partners
The design embraces the principles of biophilia to create a workplace that is focussed on wellbeing and sustainability. A warm material palette, naturally lit spaces, and flexible workspaces ensure a healthy work environment. Indoor trees mark informal meeting spaces. Flexible floorplans enable the building to adapt to changing needs in the future.
Hankook wanted to break down the traditional hierarchy and placed top-level executives among their teams on different levels. An executive business lounge on the top floor makes sure executives can still meet informally.
The top and bottom of the building are marked for social functions. In the basement healthcare facilities, a staff restaurant, and gymnasium are located. On the roof a landscaped terrace employees can take a break while overlooking the Pangyo area.
