[DIALOGUE] The Methods Behind Neighbourhood Living Facilities ─ NEIGHBOURHOOD LIVING FACILITY : ARCHITECTURE
photographed by
Park Wansoon
materials provided by
L’EAU design
edited by
Youn Yaelim
SPACE March 2025 (No. 688)
Bati-ㄹ (2008)
DIALOGUE
Kim Dongjin professor, Hongik University × Lee Sungyong principal, SYL Architects × Zo Hangman professor, Seoul National University
NEIGHBOURHOOD LIVING FACILITY : ARCHITECTURE
Zo Hangman(Zo): In 2015, Jang Jungjae (professor, Sookmyung Women’s University) viewed Kim’s neighbourhood living facilities as an ‘extension of the street’ (covered in SPACE No. 574). Think about the typical neighbourhood living facilities. It has an entrance, a stairwell, and individual floors that you simply arrive at. However, Kim also creates connections in his architecture. There are connections between spaces, perspectives, pathways, light, and even between underground levels. This makes his buildings much richer in quality. These are qualities that pure efficiency alone could never produce. Kim even realises these connections while still working within maximum floor area ratio constraints. This is a defining strength of his neighbourhood living facilities. His seemingly ‘inefficient’ connections actually result in commercial success.
Kim Dongjin(Kim): I was deeply moved when Ssamzigil in Insa-dong first opened. When did buildings become machines where you simply arrive at each floor by an elevator? Ssamzigil was praised for extending the streets of Insa-dong. I have been exploring ways to draw that kind of experience into smaller buildings. I firmly believe that even a small building has the power to transform the living environment of a neighbourhood.
Zo: Commerce has evolved. I think we are in the golden age of neighbourhood living facilities in Korea. However, there is no guarantee that this will last forever. In a Korean society where the population is declining, apartments and multifamily housing will no longer be viable in the future. We need to envision neighbourhood living facilities that contribute to residential life while preserving our residential areas.
Kim: Neighbourhoo...
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Kim Dongjin
Kim Dongjin graduated from Hongik University with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and worked at SAC International, Ltd. He studied also at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville. Since 2000 he has been the president of L’EAU design. And, since 2005, a professor of architectural design at the graduate school of architectural engineering at Hongik University. His major works include Gongju Park Adhocracy, Nonhyun Matryoshka, Chengdam March Rabbit, Jeju Bayhill Pool and Villa, and Bati-ㄹ. He has won numerous architectural awards including the 31st, 38th and 42nd Korean Institute of Architects Awards, the 25th and 33rd Seoul Architecture Awards, the 1st Young Architects Award, The Architecture Master Prize in 2019 in the U.S., the Iconic Award 2015 in Germany.
Lee Sungyong
Lee Sungyong graduated from the department of architectural engineering at Hanyang University and the graduate school of architecture, planning and preservation at Columbia University in New York. Afterwards, he worked at Morris Sato Studio in New York and NBBJ in Los Angeles, and worked at HAEAHN Architecture after returning Korea in 2015. He has established and operated SYL Architects since 2019 and is an adjunct professor in the department of architecture at Hanyang University. Major works include EH Marine House, Sinsa Samwon Garden Main Building, Sandy Box, PLUTO and JUPITER and he won the Ulsan Metropolitan City Grand Prize in the general sector in 2020, the Gangnam-gu Beautiful Architecture Promotion Award (2022) and the Beautiful Architecture Award (2023, 2024).
Zo Hangman
Zo Hangman studied at the department of architecture at Seoul National University and the graduate school of architecture at Columbia University. After working at KYWC Architects, iarc, and GreenbergFarrow in New York, he participated in the establishment of H Architecture and oversaw design. Since 2013, he has been serving as a professor in the department of architecture at Seoul National University, and has been working as a co-principal at TAAL Architects with Seo Jiyoung. His major works include the Sejong Public Administration Town Master Plan, the Government Complex Sejong 1-1, 2-2, the 2012 Yeosu Expo International Pavilion, and the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center. In addition, he won the 2010 WAN Building of the Year Award, AIANY Design Awards (2009, 2010), Kim Swoo Geun Preview Award (2016), and Korea Wood Design Award (2018, 2021).
