Beautiful Places that Received the 2024 Seoul Architecture Awards
Looking at architectural award examples by city can help you better understand the city’s charm. On July 29, 2024, Seoul announced the winners of this year‘s Seoul Architecture Awards, with a total of 9 projects recognized. Now in its 42nd year, this award is one of the most prestigious in the domestic architecture field, with a long history. It might be worth taking a closer look at these winning projects, and I recommend paying attention to them while strolling around Seoul!
Grand Prize
The CLOUD at the Sinheung Market of Haebangchon, Itaewon
✔ 95-9, Sinheung-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
CLOUD was highly praised for transforming a once-old and dark traditional market into a trendy street for the millenials and Generation Z, attracting not only local vendors but also international tourists to enjoy the space. They demolished the old and outdated arcade of the market and installed a new arcade made from ETFE film, a modern material. The transparent roof allows light and air to pass through, creating a new model that breaks the traditional structure of market arcades.
Best Award
✔ 110-10, Hwarang-ro 13ga-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea
It was built on the site of an old wooden shredding facility and transformed the surrounding environment upon completion. The location, previously plagued by noise and complaints, has been seamlessly integrated with a park and has become a beloved forest library where people can enjoy books, serving as a community gathering space.
Gangnam District Well-Aging Center
✔ 27, Seolleung-ro 108-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
The ‘Well-Aging Center’ was transformed from an old parking garage on a single floor next to Seolleung in Gangnam District into a space for seniors offering health check-ups, dietary advice, and exercise prescriptions. It was particularly praised for its meticulous spatial design that overcame the limitations of the low ceiling height of the parking garage.
Excellence Award
✔ 2134, Seohaean-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Designed by the renowned architect Kwak Hee-Soo, this large urban bakery café offers views of both the lush arboretum and the cityscape of Seoul. It is beloved for its daily-made chocolate desserts and fresh bakery items. Since 2004, it has been importing coffee beans and coffee equipment.
Seogyo-dong Multiplex Building
✔ 41, World Cup buk-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
This is a mixed-use cultural space platform that creates new spaces reflecting local characteristics and uses them to weave new stories for the city. The first floor of Nudit Hongdae features commercial facilities, the second floor houses shared office spaces, and the third floor is dedicated to a hotel. Floors three through six contain a total of 296 rooms, with half designed for long-term stays and half for short-term stays. The focus is not on housing itself but on fostering regional community development.
✔ 652, Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Sinsa Square has long been a hub of activity due to its excellent accessibility, and it was established as a multifaceted cultural and artistic space facing the winding Han River with its rich history. The construction of the building began on a large stone that once covered the Sinsa-dong area, and Sinsa Square, a multiplex, was built from five underground floors to fifteen aboveground floors. In December 2022, Geoam Art Hall, a center for cultural and artistic activities, was inaugurated.
✔ 12, Sinjeong ipen 1-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Eco-Space Yeonui is a small detention pond park surrounded by residential complexes. A detention pond is an eco-friendly urban planning facility designed to temporarily collect excess rainwater and prevent flooding in surrounding areas. The water level in the pond changes with time and seasons, creating a beautiful and dynamic ecological environment. Within the park, there is a deck path that serves as a daily walking route for residents and also as an educational space for observing insects and vegetation in the wetland.
✔ 130, Changdeokgung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
It is a place connected by five roofs in Wonsong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea
Jury’s Special Award
Gyeongri Gyedan Gil (Gyeongri Stair Road)
✔ 3-17, Hoenamu-ro 12-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
A place that, despite the challenging urban environment of a secluded sloped site, excellently overcomes site limitations and offers a sustainable solution that enhances urban value and ensures longevity.
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