[DIALOGUE] Towards a Sustainable Architecture: 9 Solutions ② | Junglim Architecture

SPACE May 2026 (No. 702) 

 

The original appearance of the south façade​ of the Samil Building​ 

 

 

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​

 

 

Adaptive Reuse: Samil Building, Jeonil Building 245​

SPACE: In discussions of sustainability, regeneration and reuse are indispensable topics. Looking at recent trends in domestic and international architectural scenes, there is an increasing number of cases of adapting and reusing existing structures. The Samilro Building (currently Samil Building), a monumental office building by Kim Chung-up, and the Jeonil Building (currently Jeonil Building 245), which bears the scars of the Gwangju Democratization Movement, are works of architecture with overwhelming historical significance and symbolism. While seeking to transform these structures to meet the functions and uses demanded today, could you tell us what similarities and differences existed in your attitude toward these two projects?

 

Lee Myungjin (Lee): Both buildings share the commonality of being projects that rewrite the structure to meet present demands while respecting the time and meaning inherent in the existing architecture. At the core of these projects was the issue of how to enhance the historical relevance and sense of place embedded in the architecture to operate meaningfully again within the contemporary city. On the other hand, because the meaning and context of the two buildings differ, there was a clear difference in our approach. While the Samil Building raised questions about how to modernly inherit an architectural heritage, the Jeonil Building was closer to questioning how to preserve the city’s history and social memory within the space and share it with citizens.

 

Park Jaewan (Park): As is well known, ONE O ONE architects handled the initial design for the remodelling of the Samil Building, and we took on the role of technically implementing it. Our working attitude at the time can be summarised as ‘creative restoration’. It was not about exactly restoring past functions and forms, but elevating the value by actively reflecting the necessities of the present time. From this perspective, we preserved the curtain wall exterior while proceeding to improve the interior to suit a modern office space. The most noticeable major change was revealing the podium that met the ground level and creating a sunken space to widen the contact points connecting to the outside.

 

 

 

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Current appearance of the south façade of the Samil Building 

 

Current appearance of the south façade of the Samil Building

 

 

SPACE: Specifically in the Samil Building, around what values did you distinguish between what to preserve and what to change? How were they realised?​

Park: When embarking on the project, we visited the Kim Chung-up Architecture Museum to collect related materials and interviewed participants from that time. The Samilro Building began construction in 1968 and was completed in 1970; at that time, Korea had absolutely no technology for steel-frame buildings. The architecture of Le Corbusier, Kim Chung-up’s mentor, lacked the formal language to resolve the high-rise office demanded by the c...

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