SPACE March 2026 (No. 700)
©Jang Mi
©Jang Mi
The Aerial
An extension to a valet parking lounge was added to the rear façade of an iconic department store building that had occupied the same site for over forty years. The project proposed an architectural apparatus capable of sheltering visitors from rain, snow, and sunlight as they arrive, handing over their car keys, and waiting for their vehicles after shopping.
Adding a contemporary structure as an annex to an existing building – built with a reinforced concrete frame adorned with decorative columns reminiscent of Western classical architecture – demanded a clear architectural stance. We sought to create an architecture that was explicitly modern, moving away from past styles, yet one that did not conflict with the aura of the original building. Through a single, abstract plane (the canopy) that boldly sheds the weight of historical context and architectural gravity, we wanted to achieve an elegant and impressive architecture.
©Jang Mi
©Jang Mi
*You can see more information on the SPACE No. March (2026).
Kim Jinhyu graduated from the Yale School of Architecture and Seoul National University. Prior to founding KimNam Architects, He worked at Herzog & de Meuron in Basel, SO-IL in New York, and SANAA in Tokyo. He is a registered architect in Korea. He has previously taught the design studio at Seoul National University and Hanyang University.
Nam Hojin graduated from the Yale School of Architecture and of Ewha Woman University. Prior to founding KimNam Architects, she worked at Herzog & de Meuron in Basel, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in New Haven, SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill) in New York City, and Namsan A&C in Seoul. She is a registered architect of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). She is currently serving as an Adjunct Professor at Ewha Womans University.
KimNam Architects is an architectural design firm that originated in a remote village in Switzerland in 2014. Since 2015, it has been active in Seoul, continuing its work. In 2024, they was awarded the Grand Prize by the Korea Association for Archtiectural History. KimNam Architects emphasises the existence of diverse values and perspectives in architecture, questioning and redrawing with the view that ‘what was right yesterday may be wrong today.’
