Office Building in Seoul

Seoul National University, Architectural Design Studio 3-2, Fall 2024

This project’s aim was to design an office building along the Cheonggyecheon stream in Seoul. What stood out about this site was the contrast between the open character of the south side, defined by the stream, and the intimate atmosphere of the north side.

Reference Study: BP Building

The massing strategy reflects the site’s duality. A central, lighter volume establishes a horizontal rhythm and engages with the stream by extending into the open setback on the south side. This central office volume is flanked by two heavier, stacked masses. On the east side, the stack is lifted, gesturing toward the lower massing of the adjacent building and marking the overall height of the structure.

The typical floors consist of a central open-plan office space flanked by two cores. These cores function as dividers, separating the office area from the polyvalent halls housed in the stacked masses. Each core features an opening, pushedtoward the quieter north side, creating a larger, open office area on the south side.

Inclined façades are used to respond to the site’s contrasting conditions. On the south side, they create balconies with views of the stream, while the north side employs the same inclined form and mullions, but with large windows for a working environment.

Each office floor features a double-height polyvalent hall, forming the stacked masses on the building’s east and west sides. While each floor has access to one hall, the opposite side features a window that looks into the hall of the floor below, creating visual connections between levels. Panoramic windows provide views of the surrounding context, bridging the north and south sides of the building. Circular windows, positioned high on the walls, emphasize the height of these spaces and establish a dialogue with the corresponding windows of the floors above.

The topmost halls in the stacks are taller and feature an additional large window to the north and south, marking the tops of the stacked masses, and bringing more light for these large volumes.

The building’s façade reflects its programmatic and spatial organization. The stone-clad masses of the polyvalent halls emphasize their heaviness, contrasting with the lighter central office volume. The horizontal rhythm of the south-facing blinds ties the façade together, extending to the stone-clad masses.

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Underground Hall