SPACE September 2026 (No. 706)
A Museum in a Residential Neighbourhood
PARKSEOBO MUSEUM consists of six independent galleries designed to accommodate a variety of exhibitions, across two basement levels and three floors above ground. GIZI_Art Base (covered in SPACE No. 622), previously designed by BCHO Partners, was set back 4m from the road to create a small garden in front. The new PARKSEOBO MUSEUM was positioned with the same setback, transforming what had been a confined streetscape into a brighter and more open one. The corners of the building were opened to preserve daylight and views for the neighbouring houses on either side, while the first floor was designed to be transparent, allowing the exhibitions and activities within to be visible from outside.
*You can see more information on the SPACE No. September (2026).
Choi Moongyu’s (Professor, Yonsei University) architecture begins by questioning given conditions and familiar conventions and thereby proposing alternatives. As these ideas are clarified, the design is refined toward simplicity. Simple geometries, differentiated sections, circulation that integrates parts into a whole, and views that shift between inside and outside. As Pai Hyungmin (Professor Emeritus, University of Seoul) observes, these are achievements grounded in ‘the principles of modernism that connect plan and section with structure and detail’. Yet rather than asserting itself, Choi’s architecture withdraws its presence, stepping back and seeking to become more of a backdrop. It directs our attention towards people, the city, and nature, while embracing the complexities of life. This is the discipline of a modernist, built on the belief that architecture can make the world a better place.
