SPACE October 2023 (No. 671)
View of field trip to Ecological Matrix; Breathing Net ©Han Garam
On Aug. 25, the second face-to-face event for the 18th SPACE student reporter scheme was held in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Cho Namho (principal, Soltozibin Architects) was a guest at this event. The event consisted of a lecture, lunch, and a field trip to Seoul Forest. Cho spoke about his work and research on wooden structures under the theme of the ‘the potential of ecological and environmental aesthetics’. Research on terra tectonics and contextual tectonics led to Gwangju Chusajae (2016) and Seoripul Tree House (2019) (covered in SPACE No. 644). As technology has made it possible to use wood, which is basically the language of lines, as the language of planes and masses, he has also used wood structures as if they were masonry or concrete. After the lecture, the group headed to Seoul Forest to visit Ecological Matrix; Breathing Net (2023, refer to pp. 58 – 61), designed by Cho as part of the Seoul Urban Art Project. This pavilion is one of those projects in which the wood is stacked like conventional masonry. Decay was primarily prevented by drying the wood to a higher degree than usual, and the wooden units were stacked in layers so that even if the outermost unit rotted, the inner ones are protected. It is where he recognises and tries to overcome the ‘weaknesses’ of the material. Pavilion is used as outdoor performance venues, stage ceilings are stepped to allow sound to reverberate naturally, and porous units prevent sound from spreading unnecessarily. This field trip and lecture with Cho provided a new understanding of the relationship between architecture, nature, and people. Typically, these student reportersʼ activities are organised to take place in teams, but this event was an opportunity for student reporters to gather and strengthen their relationships as a community.
