SPACE Aug 2024 (No. 681)
Café Travertine (2018) ©Choi Eunhwa
Yulhyeon-dong Mooeru (2023) ©Cho Kyungbin
SHARE_US geosung by SUNLAB ARCHITECTS (2017) ©Kim Yongseok
On July 3, the 2024 Korea Young Architect Award’s open jury organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism took place at the Junglim Architecture’s Kim Jungchul Hall. This event, now in its 17th year since its inception in 2008, appointed Yoon Seunghyun (professor, Chung-Ang University) as the head of the board of judges. The jury members included Kim Seongyoul (principal, Rieuldorang Atelier), Shin Hoseop (co-principal, Shin Architects), Lim Jitaek (professor, Hanyang University), and Jung Sujin (principal, SIE:Architecture) The public jury session, which was live-streamed online, featured presentations and Q&A sessions from eight teams out of a total of 40 teams that had passed the first round of evaluations, divided into three parts. ground architects (principal, Kim Hanjoong, covered in SPACE No. 645) presented works that explore precision based on the attitude towards craftsmanship. These projects include the remodeling of Café Travertine (2018) and Approach Coffee (2021), which pondered the boundaries between old houses and alleyways, the Gymnasium of Cheongwon Elementary School (2021, covered in SPACE No. 663) with its lowered first floor for easy access by children, and the expansion of the Intellian Technologies R&D Center (2021) featuring a prefabricated staircase with intricate details for ventilation. The series of works explore ‘reversible architecture’ with bolts that can be uniformly assembled and disassembled, and, unlike screws, permitting structures to return to their original state. Pildong2ga Architects (principal, Cho Kyungbin) has been operating in neighbourhoods where the past and present has coexisted since 2016, focusing on the process of creating architecture. They study the construction process with a meticulous attention to arrive at a rational architecture. In this presentation, they showcased various projects on different scales, such as the Namsan-dong Community Facility (2022, covered in SPACE No. 659), Yulhyeon-dong Mooeru (2023) and Seocho-dong 1515 (2023). The judges noted that while the buildings may appear ordinary, they are thoughtfully integrated into the urban fabric without being overbearing. They praised the work as ‘neat yet persistent architecture’ that enhances completeness through meticulousness. SUNLAB ARCHITECTS (principal, Hyun Seunghun) focused on the problematic spaces of urban areas known as goshiwon (small, low- cost housing for students and job seekers). They presented their research, involving a multi-faceted analysis of the goshiwon-dense areas in Sillim-dong over the past decade and efforts to improve these environments. They introduced a remodeling project that transformed these spaces into shared living spaces. The judges collectively acknowledged the significance of this endeavour, noting that it was inspired by the Hyun’s experiences in volunteer house building and repairs during his student years. They emphasised the project’s importance in addressing the neglected poor living conditions that the mainstream architectural community has often overlooked. Questions followed about the project’s sustainability and the role between public and private sectors. Hyun emphasised the need for a social consensus on the recognition of housing as a public good and highlighted the urgent need for institutional support. The three teams that showed works of significance in public and private sectors were selected as finalists in the 2024 Korea Young Architect Award. This year’s presentation and review session broadened the perspective on the archetype of an architect and reiterated the necessity for the diversification of the architect’s role within society. The award ceremony for the winners is scheduled to take place in Nov. this year.
