A Master Architect's 'Study Hotspot'... Is It True That It's 500 Won in Yongsan?

Hangang and Cheongpa Study Cafes Established by District Office to Open on the 15th

A public study cafe has opened on the third floor of the Hangang-ro Community Center, designed by a famous British architect. Namsan Tower can be seen through the large windows.
(Photo by Yongsan-gu Office)

On the 15th, a study cafe opened in a building in Yongsan-gu designed by world-renowned architect David Chipperfield (70). The usage fee is only 500 won for 3 hours (for teenagers), and even if used all day, it costs 2,000 won.

Chipperfield designed the Amorepacific headquarters and is also the architect of the new office building that game company Krafton is constructing on the Emart site in Seongsu-dong. Given that the land price exceeds 100 million won per 3.3㎡ and that the building was designed by a Pritzker Prize winner, often called the Nobel Prize of architecture, why is there a study cafe in such a building, and why is the price so affordable?

According to Yongsan-gu, this was made possible by the effectiveness of donation-based public contributions, active interest from students, and prompt administration. The Yongsan-gu Facilities Management Corporation operates youth study rooms in five locations: Hyochang, Hangang, Cheongpa, Ichon 2, and Hannam, but due to criticisms that the facilities were old and operational efficiency was low, they have been remodeling these into study cafe-style learning spaces since last September.

This year, construction was carried out, and on the 15th, study cafe-style study rooms with the latest facilities opened in Hangang-ro and Cheongpa-dong. Among them, the Hangang Study Cafe (Youth Study Room) located in the Hangang-ro Community Center was designed by Chipperfield, who designed the Amorepacific headquarters, and domestic architect Haegwan Geonchuk, and was completed in 2014.

Amorepacific, the redevelopment project implementer of the No. 1 district around the International Building, built the new headquarters and, in agreement with Yongsan-gu Office, purchased the existing community center site and donated a public facility three times its size through a donation-based public contribution. At that time, a youth study room was created, but since then, there have been many criticisms that the facility became old and inconvenient to use. Last year, students participating in the Yongsan-gu Youth Council proposed remodeling the youth study room into a more convenient study cafe, and Yongsan-gu promptly reflected this.

Yongsan-gu plans to reopen the Hyochang (Wonhyo) and Hannam study cafes next year. In the case of Hannam, it will be located in the Brighton Hannam mixed-use residential and officetel building, which is sold as high-end apartments and officetels. This is also through a donation-based public contribution. In 2025, the Ichon 2 youth study room will also be refurbished.

At the opening ceremony and tea meeting with students on the 13th, District Mayor Park Hee-young said, “I hope that happy youths from Yongsan-gu will emerge rather than just youths going to prestigious universities,” and “I am pleased that a facility centered on beneficiaries has been created, and above all, I will make sure it operates safely.”

On the 13th, the opening ceremony of Hangang Study Cafe (Youth Study Room) was attended by nearby middle school students, Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District, Kwon Young-se, member of the People Power Party, and Oh Cheon-jin, Chairman of the Yongsan District Council. (Photo by Yongsan District Office)

On that day, students from Yonggang Middle School left detailed suggestions for the district mayor, such as “Please install more CCTV,” “It would be good if the lighting brightness could be adjusted,” “Please delay the closing time considering the time students finish academies,” and “Paper cups for the water purifier are inconvenient,” while also saying, “It’s nice to have a bright and clean study cafe near my home.”

This place has a fingerprint recognition entry system, individual focus seats, group desks, wheelchair-accessible seats, study rooms, personal lockers, and a system that notifies parents of youth entry through an alert function. Adults can also use the facility, and there is a one-month subscription pass. The youth fee applies to those aged 24 and under, based on the Youth Basic Act.