Project TT – BCHO Architects

I was elected to a new building on the site of the old building originally designed by Hankook Ilbo famed architect Kim Geun-Swoo Korean in 1968. The area had recently been demolished as part of an urban renewal project.

The place is well known to the citizens due to the proximity to Gyeongbok Palace and Insa-dong, two landmarks of Seoul. In this historical context, I personally think it is inappropriate to destroy the oldest sophisticated buildings constructed between 1970 and años1960 and replace them. However, given the inevitability of urban renewal project the government had no choice but to accept the situation, deciding to design must always bear in mind the historical context and urban location.

A specific architectural form it was in response to the distinctive geographical features. The site consists of several acute angles, and within the figure, the induction of dynamic interactions between the horizontal and vertical, as shown by the water flowing in several directions, among others. This recalls a birch tree that has withstood serious challenges over time.

Directly south of the building is a historical dead commercial area, famous, called Pimatgol. Although the area has almost disappeared with the urban renewal project, you can still keep in touch with some of the remaining vestiges. The connection through the site is designed to Dongsipjagak, an old watch tower in the southeast corner of Gyeongbok Palace. This area connects to Samcheongdong, an area that remains vibrant, that evokes the historical value, tradition and the urban context.