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[DIALOGUE] Towards a Sustainable Architecture: 9 Solutions ① | Junglim Architecture

photographed by
Yoon Joonhwan (unless otherwise indicated)
materials provided by
Junglim Architecture
edited by
Bang Yukyung, Lee Sowoon

SPACE May 2026 (No. 702) 

 

Interior of the Server Building during the construction of the NAVER Data Center GAK​ ©Jang Mi 

 

 

DIALOGUE Lee Myungjin CEO, Advanced Design Division, Junglim Architecture, Ki Hyunchul Design Part Leader of SU (Strategy Unit), Design Division, Junglim Architecture, Park Jaewan Leader of JDI (Junglim Design Innovation) BU (Business Unit), Design Division, Junglim Architecture, Ahn Jeongtaek Leader of BIG Tech BU, Advanced Design Division, Junglim Architecture, Rhee Ho Director of Mobility BU, Advanced Design Division, Junglim Architecture × Kim Jeoungeun Editor-in-Chief, SPACE, Bang Yukyung Editor, SPACE​

 

 

 

SPACE: This discussion will review the projects undertaken over the past decade by Junglim Architecture, one of South Korea’s leading large-scale architectural firms, through the lens of ‘sustainability’. You previously introduced your work under the title ‘Junglim for Tomorrow’s Earth’ through a series of exhibitions and lectures. Can you explain the background behind your focus on this theme?

Lee Myungjin (Lee): We held exhibitions themed ‘Junglim for Tomorrow’s Earth’ at the 21st Asian Congress of Architects (ACA) in Incheon in 2025 and the Korea Architecture Fair & Festival (KAFF) in 2024. While we have consistently presented contemporary architectural issues and Junglim Architecture’s design philosophy through our projects, discourse, foundation work, and publications, these exhibitions made us realise the need for broader communication with society. Since Junglim Architecture’s establishment in 1967, over 4,000 design professionals have passed through our doors over the past 60 years. We have responded to society’s demands and needs not as individuals, but collectively through an organisational design methodology grounded in collective intelligence. Building upon this foundation, we needed to establish specific directions and goals for the future that we should prioritise and pursue. The very first theme to answer this call was ‘sustainability’. In response to the growing social demand for eco-friendly architecture and changing trends in domestic and international industries, we wanted to convey our message through collective intelligence and organisational design.​

 

 

 

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Views of NAVER Data Center GAK Sejong​ ©Jang Mi 

 

 

*You can see more information on the SPACE No. May (2026).
*Subscribers can browse through E-Magazine right now. >> Available Here

Lee Myungjin
Lee Myungjin, CEO of Advanced Design Division, Junglim Architecture, has executed architectural projects across various sectors, including workplaces, research, commercial, healthcare, and data centres. He is committed to design that proactively addresses industrial and environmental issues based on future technologies and scientific processes, pursuing innovation to meet the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and global environmental changes.
Ki Hyunchul
Ki Hyunchul graduated from the Department of Architectural Engineering at Korea University and the École d’Architecture et de Paysage de Bordeaux (EAPBX) in France. After working at Bernard Bühler Architects, he joined Junglim Architecture in 2008. Currently serving as the Design Part Leader of SU (Strategy Unit), Design Division, he oversees the convergence of design and technology, as well as the advancement of the organisational design process.
Park Jaewan
Park Jaewan majored in Architectural Design at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville (ENSA-PB) in France and earned his French government-certified architect (D.P.L.G.) degree. He joined Junglim Architecture in 2007 and currently serves as the Leader of JDI (Junglim Design Innovation) BU (Business Unit), Design Division.
Ahn Jeongtaek
Ahn Jeongtaek graduated from the School of Architecture at The Catholic University of America and obtained his Master’s degree from the same institution. He began his professional career at Junglim Architecture, became a registered architect in Washington, D.C. in 2008, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Drawing upon his deep understanding of technology and the environment, as well as his extensive practical experience, he currently serves as the Leader of BIG Tech BU, Advanced Design Division.
Rhee Ho
Rhee Ho graduated from the Department of Architectural Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University and majored in Architectural Planning at the same institution. After joining Junglim Architecture in 1997, he served as Design Principal, 2018 – 2020) and is currently the Director of Mobility BU, Advanced Design Division, overseeing its architectural design operations.
FRAME DIALOGUE Junglim Architecture Lee Myungjin Ki Hyunchul Park Jaewan Ahn Jeongtaek Rhee Ho R&D Eco-friendly Integrated Design Process
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