Urban Renewal
Seoul, South Korea
A proposal that revises and ‘scales down’ the iconic mega structure building, Sewoon Saanga. It challenges the “city within a city” concept through revised programming.
Background
Sewoon Sanga is a 1.2 km mega structure in the heart of Seoul, designed in 1967 as part of the Sewoon Sanga Project. Located in the center of Seoul’s historical district, the land on which the complex stands was left vacant during the Japanese colonial era towards the end of WWII to prevent fires from spreading due to bombings.
When the Korean War began, refugees started squatting there, creating a substandard living district. The current
Sewoon Sanga complex was designed by architect Kim Swoo Geun. Although intended to be a brutalist icon, the
building’s density, extreme diversity in programming, and unfavorable light and air
conditions have left it in ruins.
Sewoon Sanga is a 1.2 km mega structure in the heart of Seoul, designed in 1967 as part of the Sewoon Sanga Project. Located in the center of Seoul’s historical district, the land on which the complex stands was left vacant during the Japanese colonial era towards the end of WWII to prevent fires from spreading due to bombings.
When the Korean War began, refugees started squatting there, creating a substandard living district. The current
Sewoon Sanga complex was designed by architect Kim Swoo Geun. Although intended to be a brutalist icon, the
building’s density, extreme diversity in programming, and unfavorable light and air
conditions have left it in ruins.
Site Context:
The neighborhood is rich in history and awaits curation in a manner that is activated by its surroundings. To the north of the site lies the Korean palace, while the auspicious Namsan mountain range is situated to the south. Given the site’s long lineage of history and its key role during WWII, it has the potential to be envisioned as a major historical and cultural hub. However, it currently lies in ruins due to critical issues in its envelope and programming.
Architectural Design Order
Revisions to the architectural order must begin by understanding the broader urban context. The grid of streets points towards the palace, and this order must be respected to ensure the proposed cultural hub aligns with its historical influences. Thus, the larger urban context should be scaled to the architectural order, maintaining respect and orientation towards the palace.
Revisions to the architectural order must begin by understanding the broader urban context. The grid of streets points towards the palace, and this order must be respected to ensure the proposed cultural hub aligns with its historical influences. Thus, the larger urban context should be scaled to the architectural order, maintaining respect and orientation towards the palace.
‘
The Meaning of Megastructure’, Banham concludes that megastructures were ‘an invention of architects […] as a way of imposing a form of order on “the chaos of our cities”’, before they were ‘finally abandoned by them because it offered to generate a form of order that they themselves could not manage’.
Developing a Cultural Hub
This project architecturally revises the first building within the assembly o this mega structure while proposing a master plan for the entire urban-scale mega-structure. Each building is allocated to an arts or cultural institution within the city. The building closest to the palace is awarded to the cultural institution Arumjigi. This organization has made significant strides in preserving traditional Korean artifacts, educating visitors about these artifacts, and introducing them to the modern evolution of Korean culture.
Design Intent
CLT is used to evoke connections to traditional architecture, aligning with the trend of local architects drawing inspiration from Hanok and incorporating its elements into contemporary urban contexts. An atrium is added to the floor plan, and windows are enlarged to provide 360-degree views of downtown and to bring more light into the space. Some existing and load bearing walls are retained to allude to the history of the mega structure.
CLT is used to evoke connections to traditional architecture, aligning with the trend of local architects drawing inspiration from Hanok and incorporating its elements into contemporary urban contexts. An atrium is added to the floor plan, and windows are enlarged to provide 360-degree views of downtown and to bring more light into the space. Some existing and load bearing walls are retained to allude to the history of the mega structure.