ⓒaoa architects
On 10 December, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has selected ‘The platform’, designed by aoa architects (principal, Suh Jaewon) as their winner in the design competition for the Remodeling to Develop the Citizen-led Learning Platform. The objective of this competition was to create a space for various citizen-led learning activities by drawing on existing buildings in Jeongdong, Jung-gu. The winning entry sought to create an educational platform that would facilitate learning through sharing and communication, and incorporate regional characteristics into the building. Both inside and outside of the lower reaches of the structure are finished with bricks to entice people into the space, eliminating the boundary between the inside and the outside. In the upper reaches, the space is partitioned with glass walls to promote an ease of sharing of knowledge in an open space. In this regard, the review committee commented that it is ‘an excellent design work that demonstrates a brilliant interpretation of the place and region, with respect for the existing architecture’, and that it was ‘impressive to see the traces of making a contrast in the materials and conducting appropriate synthesis according to the zoning of the interior space as well as exterior space’.