SPACE February 2025 (No. 687)
Gwangwoon Interior (2024), a compact 4.5-pyeong space located in Songjeong-dong, could be described as an ‘economy barcelona pavilion’. A space without a clear purpose or function, it serves as an architectural experiment in surface treatment (commonly referred to as ‘interior design’). Much like the Barcelona Pavilion (1929), which outlived its originally intended lifespan to be transformed from a temporary structure into a permanent ‘architecture’ (1986), this structure is adopting a similar trajectory (or so we insist). Gwangwoon Interior exemplifies the outcome when two inescapable elements of Korean architecture – ‘cost-effectiveness’ and ‘brinkmanship’ – are embraced without question.
The Barcelona Pavilion is architectural surface treatment at its finest, standing as an iconic example. Its exterior walls, liberated from structural responsibilities, exist as independent objects. The Barcelona Pavilion’s opulent, patterned walls were crafted through bookmatching various types of marble, not merely as superficial veneers but as a deliberate display of material excess, creating the illusion of standing amidst a meticulously curated exhibition. This prompts the question: ‘Is this architecture or a monumental abstract painting?’ Through this paradigm shift, what was once ...
HYPERSPANDREL (Chon Jaewoo)
34-1, Gwangnaru-ro 11-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, K
multi-purpose space
15㎡
1F
2.6m
concrete
exposed concrete, multi-layered wallpaper, refle
Dec. 2023 – Mar. 2024
Apr. 2024
Chon Jaewoo
installation disguised as interior