Korean architecture
An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about korean architecture
Project • By Todot Architects and Partners • Housing
Round Roofs Residence
Round Sky and Angular Ground
The phrase, “The sky is round and the ground is angular.” is an old-saying found in the Chinese astronomic book, Zhou bi suan jing. Ancient Fareast Asians acknowledged the boundary between the sky and buildings as curves. For that reason, traditional Korean buildings have distinctively curved roof lines. We took a philosophical approach in terms of designing building rather than the curved form itself.
KSPNC
KSPNC
Jinbo Choi
Jinbo Choi
Filling the Triangular Site
The shape of the site is unusually triangular which dissects a road that meets its one sharp corner. Sitting right in front of the Mungyeong City Hall and the Mojeon Park, the site open to outdoor spaces in the neighbo... More
Project • By shinslab architecture • Churches
YeongJong Do Onnuri Church
The Yeongjongdo Onnuri Church stands as a unique religious center on a developing island near Seoul, South Korea. Its design integrates the symbolic form of Noah's Ark with the practical concept of upcycling dismantled ship hulls. The building's bow, pointed skyward, serves as a powerful visual reminder of the ark.
Kim YongKwan
Kim YongKwan
Kim YongKwan
This project promotes the concepts of scale, ready-made elements, and sustainable reuse. Fragmented sections of the recycled ship's hull become integral parts of the church's architecture. Steel, a readily available and highly durable material, finds renewed purpose in its elegant, curved forms.
Kim YongKwan
Kim YongKwan
The inspiration for this "Up-cycling" approa... More
Project • By WORC • Restaurants
CHINGU
It’s a restaurant that opens its doors in the Condesa neighborhood, designed by the Mexican firm WORC, whose concept arises from recreating the authentic flavors of Seoul’s street food in Mexico City. It is a space that serves as a stage for friends to share, immersing visitors in Korean culture through design and gastronomy.
Zaickz Moz
Zaickz Moz
Upon entering, a red neon sign welcomes diners with the inscription “KDMX AUTHENTIC STREET FOOD,” inviting them to experience a space where a small lobby, long tables, and a kitchen island and restrooms for the restaurant are located.
Zaickz Moz
Zaickz Moz
The main challenge of this project was to combine the Mexican context with the contemporary aesth... More
News • News • 30 Oct 2023
25 best architecture firms in South Korea
Architecture in South Korea is distinguished by its disposition towards naturalism, simplicity and streamlined forms. Historically, South Korea's architectural landscape evolved under the influence of its neighbouring countries, particularly Japan and China, but also bore the imprint of its unique cultural identity. The nation’s tumultuous history, marked by cycles of construction and destruction, has left a lasting mark on its architecture, resulting in a juxtaposition of diverse styles and forms.
While traditional Korean architecture was notable for its deep-rooted connection with nature, contemporary architecture in South Korea embraces technology and experimentation. The last few decades witnessed rapid economic development... More
News • News • 11 Jul 2023
The architectural “Nonspace” by On Architects “restores local memories of rice paddies”
Korean architectural studio On Architects has designed Nonspace, a project whose aim is to regenerate a village in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, renowned for its rice and flower farming.
Yoon Joonhwan
Nonspace is described by On Architects as a place that “proposes new life possibilities through an experimental cross-cultural facility, or ‘cross-space’, enabling interactions between diverse cultures.” With fewer young people living in the area and an aging population, the building is an architectural space that seeks to attract visitors.
Yoon Joonhwan
The building’s nine cross-spaces are revealed at intersections across its breadth and depth and offer a range of visual stimuli. The d... More
News • Detail • 22 Jun 2023
Detail: Seosaeng House marries contemporary architecture with traditional Korean vernacular
Set on a hilltop in the Ulju-gun region of South Korea’s eastern peninsula, Seosaeng House is a multi-generational family home whose contemporary architecture marries elements of traditional Korean vernacular. Designed by London-based Studio Weave, Seosaeng House enjoys panoramic views across the East Sea. The abode’s pink-tinted concrete facade glows in the first rays of the rising sun: Seosaeng, translated literally, means “the brightening East” or “new life”.
Kyung Roh
In a conversation with architect Je Ahn, the founding director of Studio Weave, he tells the story of the design and construction of this family home.
A family affair
“Seosaeng House was built for my family,&rdq... More
News • News • 6 Jun 2023
Design of Seoul-based jewelry maison combines Korean artisanship and nature
The Paris-based architectural design studio Jouin Manku has completed the design of jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels’ new maison in Seoul, South Korea.
Yongjoon Choi
Studio Jouin Manku
Following previous collaborations with the heritage French jewelry brand, Jouin Manku worked on the building architecture, interior architecture, and interior design of the jeweler’s new Korean premises. From the outset, Jouin Manku endeavored to embrace Korean architectural principles, reflecting the country’s vast cultural wealth, and thereby testing the agency’s vision of a more Eurocentric style of building design.
Yongjoon Choi
Yongjoon Choi
“[The] relationship with nature is very powerful... More
Project • By Steven Leach Group • Offices
Office Design - Hanwa Asset
As online platforms for wealth management become more sophisticated, the financial industry needs to evolve and be innovative in the management of customer assets. The global trend towards digital banking justifies the introduction of smart offices and it is influencing the way companies set up their daily workflow.
Daehye
Known as the tallest skyscraper in the world when it was first constructed in 1985, ‘63 Square’ remained South Korea’s tallest commercial building until the early 2000s. As one of the most recognizable landmark silhouettes of the Seoul skyline, the golden 63 Building boasts magnificent unobstructed panoramic views of the Han River. The Business Development team at Hanwha Asset Management understand... More
News • News • 18 Dec 2020
Roly-Polycotto: Whimsy in red brick
Architecture and interior design firm Studiovase have recently completed Roly-Polycotto, a whimsical restaurant, café, and retail space in Seoul, Korea. The project was commissioned by Ottogi, a popular Korean food manufacturer who sell noodles, sauces, curries, and other foodstuffs. The original brief called for a curry and ramen bar showcasing the brand’s flavours to be installed within a space of around 80 pyeong (a Korean unit of floorspace which translates to 265 sq. m). But Studiovase proposed a much larger concept for the project both spatially and conceptually– a total rebranding and repackaging of the Ottogi brand.
Park Woo-jin
Studiovase conducted user research which showed that for the twenty to thirty-ye... More