Year: 2021
Type: Adaptive Reuse | Cultural Center
Location: Former American Cultural Center, Seoul, Korea | 37°56’62.5” N 126°98’04.1” E
Instructor: Ryul Song
Korean architecture exists within the tension of compressed growth. The rapid urbanization of the past century has prioritized functional density, often leaving the human rhythm fragmented. Modernity in Seoul is a palimpsest of collective memory and sudden change. Amidst this high-speed development, the traditional relationship between the "inner court" and the city has been compromised.
Querencia as a necessary pause, a spatial mediator is designed to reclaim the silence lost to the pluralistic modern society. By sculpting voids within the dense urban fabric, the project seeks to restore a sense of belonging, bridging historical continuity with the urgent need for a contemporary sanctuary.
“What matters now is how we redefine the preserved ones.”
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“From a network of fragmented memories to a singular, continuous journey.”
The continuous path acts as a temporal spine, guiding visitors through the evolving layers of history. Different architectural elements transforms a walk from experience of a static struggle monument to a dynamic civic forum. This journey through past scars offers profound insight into the present, ultimately shaping the direction of our shared future.
1. Querencia Hall: Reviving the Traces
2. Memorial Atrium: The Historical Fabric
3. Living Archive: Configurable Insight
4. Civic Library: Ascending Assembly
5. Perspective Shaft: Temporal Focus
6. Urban Respite: Future Sanctuary
1. Querencia Hall: Reviving the Traces
2. Memorial Atrium: The Historical Fabric
3. Living Archive: Configurable Insight
4. Civic Library: Ascending Assembly
5. Perspective Shaft: Temporal Focus
6. Urban Respite: Future Sanctuary
