SPACE November 2024 (No. 684)
For this OPINION, we sought the opinions of experts in architecture and related fields, focusing on design competitions, which are the primary method of selecting architects and architectural proposals for public cultural facilities in Korea. The responses have been excerpted and edited to the extent that they do not stray the intentions of the original text.
Participants
Kim Ahyeon professor, University of Seoul
Kim Hyunsu co-principal, eSou Architects
Nam Sangmoon principal, DAYPLACE
Maing Pilsoo professor, Seoul National University
Yoon Geunju co-principal, 1990 urban architecture office
Lee Jeonghoon principal, JOHO Architecture
Lee Chihoon partner, SoA
Yim Dongwoo professor, Hongik University
Lim Sunghun professor, Tongmyong University
Cho Namho principal, Soltozibin Architects
Cho Jaewon principal, 0_1 Studio
Zo Hangman professor, Seoul National University
Hwang Doojin principal, Doojin Hwang Architects
Q1.
Who produces and enjoys public cultural spaces? Who in our society is being included or excluded from the public cultural spaces created today?
Yim Dongwoo Korean architecture holds these two terms as absolute ‘good’: public and culture. I often teach my students to be careful when using these terms. There is a general tendency to think that any architecture that uses these terms is ‘good architecture’. The term public, not to mention culture, however, is not always neutral in terms of being inclusive to certain classes and exclusive to others. This was the case with Central Park in New York City as well as with the restoration project of Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul. We can always ask ourselves if there was truly no one being excluded from these supposedly successful public projects. Ultimately, it boils down to the question of how one delimits publicness and cultural space.
Lee Chihoon While public cultural space is meant for everyone, the decision-making process and the technology behind its production are dictated by a few professional urban architects. It is undeniable that the people who should be enjoying these spaces are excluded from the process of producing these public cultural spaces.
Nam Sangmoon In the case of cultural spaces outside of Seoul, they are one-sidedly supplied by the local governments in a short space of time. However, the cultural life that people enjoy is not limited to luxury or high-end cultural activities, but also includes content and cultural spaces comprised of various subcultures. Here lies the reason for the cultural gap between the urban and the rural. Because the supply of cultural spaces in the rural areas tends to focus mostly on high-end cultural facilities, problems such as exclusion and isolation of var...
