'Hanok Meets Modern Architecture'... 2020 Korea Hanok Competition Held

2020 Korea Hanok Competition Poster (Provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 7th that it will hold the '2020 Korea Hanok Contest' to discover the excellence of Hanok and explore new development possibilities.

Hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and organized by the National Hanok Center of the Architectural Institute of Korea, this contest marks its 10th edition since it was first held in 2011. It is the most prestigious Hanok contest in Korea aimed at seeking diversification and modernization methods of Hanok architecture and rediscovering the value of Hanok.

This year’s contest is divided into four categories, including the existing Completed, Plan, and Photo sections, with a newly established Video section to express the beauty and excellence of Hanok from various perspectives.

The Completed category targets Hanoks completed within the last five years, and anyone who is the building owner, designer, constructor, or master carpenter of the Hanok can apply.

The Plan category allows applications from individuals or teams of up to four people. Participants are free to propose ideas for new Hanoks that accommodate changing social demands while maintaining cultural identity, in line with this year’s theme, "Hanok Meets Modern Architecture."

The Photo and Video categories accept submissions from the general public and youth separately. They seek works that capture the beauty of Hanok and its meaning and value found in daily life from an original perspective.

Submissions will be accepted over five days from August 28 to September 1. The final winners will be selected and announced around October. Award-winning works will be showcased to the public through the Korea Hanok Contest website and exhibitions.

2019 Korea Hanok Competition Grand Prize Winner 'Wolmunga' (Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

The grand prize winners in each category will receive the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award. The grand prize winner in the Completed category, selected as this year’s Hanok Grand Prize, will receive a commemorative plaque. Winners in the Plan category will receive 10 million KRW, and winners in the Photo and Video categories will each receive 4 million KRW. Special prize winners in the Plan category will be awarded the Chairman of the National Architecture Commission Award and 5 million KRW. Additionally, main prize winners in each category will be selected, with a total prize money of 51 million KRW awarded.

Detailed information about the contest’s purpose, schedule, guidelines, and participation methods can be found on the Korea Hanok Contest website.

Kim Sang-moon, Director of Architectural Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We expect this contest to present excellent cases of our Hanok as well as a higher-level development model of Hanok," adding, "We plan to reflect the public’s opinions contained in the winning works into policy."