Selected as Grand Prize Winner of the '2023 Seocho Architecture Award' for MK Building... Award Ceremony on the 23rd... Grand Prize Work Highly Praised for Securing Public Walkways and Exploratory Interior Design in Shared Offices
Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) selected the ‘MK Building’ near Gangnam Station (1308-7 Seocho-dong, Architects: Jo Byeong-su, Yoon Bedel BCIO) as the winner of the ‘2023 Seocho Architecture Award.’
The ‘Seocho Architecture Award’ was launched in 2017 to create a refined urban landscape, enhance urban competitiveness, and boost the pride of architects. It was held for the first time in four years since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, the district held a judging committee composed of university professors and experts, conducting a comprehensive evaluation considering harmony with the surrounding urban landscape, publicness, creativity, and more. As a result, a total of 10 works were selected as awardees: 1 Grand Prize, 2 Excellence Awards, and 7 Merit Awards.
The ‘MK Building,’ which won the Grand Prize, was evaluated as the architectural work best meeting the judging criteria. Although the site is narrow and long compared to nearby buildings, it secured publicness through a public pedestrian passage allowing free movement for pedestrians. Additionally, the ground floor shared office space was praised for its efficient spatial arrangement and exploratory interior design, demonstrating a high level of architectural completeness.
The Excellence Awards went to the residential complex ‘Yellowfoot’ (1344-4 Chodong, Architect: Nam Jeong-min (Korea University)) and the office facility ‘Square181’ (768-3 Bangbae-dong, Architects: Kim Tae-young, Kim Hyun-jun, Utopo Architects).
‘Yellowfoot’ received favorable reviews for creatively utilizing colors and finishing material patterns that harmonize well with the surroundings, enhancing the urban landscape. Also, ‘Square181,’ located in the Bangbae Cafe Alley, was noted for its balanced features on each floor centered around the courtyard.
The seven Merit Awards were given to DS Tower (Seocho-dong), OPUS407 (Seocho-dong), WITHTOWN (Seocho-dong), CTK Cosmetic Headquarters (Seocho-dong), Banpo Mixed-use Residential Building (Banpo-dong), Red Fortress (Banpo-dong), and Void Line (Yangjae-dong).
The award-winning works will be exhibited at the ‘Seocho Architecture Culture Festival’ held in the first-floor lobby of the district office from the 23rd to the 29th. On the first day of the event, an awards ceremony will be held to present certificates of commendation and plaques inscribed with the award names and the names of related architectural parties (owners, architects, constructors). Architects will be given priority recommendations when appointed as members of the Architecture Committee and will be preferentially assigned to design small-scale public buildings commissioned by the district.
Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “This Seocho Architecture Award has become an opportunity to elevate the surrounding landscape and architectural culture, thereby enhancing urban competitiveness. We will continue to encourage private buildings to incorporate publicness and creativity to improve the quality of life for residents and create a refined architectural culture.”
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