Seoul City Announces Winning Design for Combined Workers' Welfare Center and Happy Housing Building

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 3rd that Design Lab Studio's work was selected as the winning design for the 'Seoul Workers' Welfare Center' and 'Happy Housing' complex building design competition.

The complex building to be constructed on the site of the Gangseo Waterworks Office Guro Branch will be a 4 basement-floor to 19 above-ground-floor structure with a total floor area of approximately 21,500㎡, scheduled for completion in 2024.

The lower floors, from the 1st to the 7th, will house the Workers' Welfare Center, which is relocating from Yeongdeungpo-gu, along with the addition of the Labor Rights Center and the Emotional Laborers' Rights Protection Center.

The upper floors, from the 8th to the 19th, will contain 170 units of Happy Housing for young single-person households and newlyweds. Each unit will be equipped with storage and built-in facilities, and communal facilities such as a shared laundry room, a care cafe (childcare rest area), and unmanned parcel lockers will also be introduced.

A total of 22 teams from both domestic and international participants took part in the design competition held since April.

The winning design secured a sense of openness by gradually changing the design of the lower floors, and for the upper Happy Housing floors, three-dimensional terraces and auxiliary facilities were strategically arranged considering the surrounding high-rise buildings.

The judging committee evaluated that "the excellence lies in weaving two different functions into one context without segmenting them."

The winning team, Design Lab Studio, will be granted the rights for basic and detailed design.

The project implementer, Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation, plans to complete the design together with Design Lab Studio by the second half of next year.