[Yongsan's Future] Revealing and Preserving... The Aesthetics of 'Regenerative Architecture'

Architect Jo Byungsoo's Signature Work Reborn as an Abandoned Factory Exhibition Hall
Walls and Columns Left Untouched Without Painting
A New Space Coexisting with the Existing Village

Editor's NoteYongsan, which once held the "forbidden land," is entering a new turning point. The Yongsan US military base, which had been off-limits to the general public for over a century, has transformed into Yongsan Park, a space for all citizens. With the relocation of the presidential office, it has established itself as the new center of power in the Republic of Korea, and development plans have also begun in earnest. There are ongoing demands to expand its role as a center of history and culture. Despite being a prime piece of land along the Han River connecting Namsan and the Han River in the heart of Seoul, it still harbors underdeveloped residential areas. Experts say that to enhance Seoul's global competitiveness as a city where power, business, history, and culture coexist, attention must be paid to Yongsan. In that sense, Yongsan represents both the present and future of Korean cities.

Architect Byungsoo Cho is a master of "regenerative architecture." This concept of architecture does not erase the old and historic but creatively and innovatively blends it with the new.

OnGround Gallery.
[Photo by Jobyungsoo Architectural Institute]

Architect Cho studied architecture at Montana State University in the United States and earned a master's degree in architecture and urban design from Harvard University Graduate School. Since opening the Byungsoo Cho Architectural Research Institute (BCHO Architects) in 1994, he has participated in various projects and gained recognition both domestically and internationally, including being named one of the world's leading 11 architects and receiving the highest award from the American Institute of Architects. Recently, as the importance of sustainability has emerged across architecture, art, and other fields, his architectural approach has received even greater attention.

Coexistence of Past and Present

Seongbuk-dong Studio House.
[Photo by Jobyungsoo Architectural Institute]

One of his representative works is the "Seongbuk-dong Studio House," which he designed in 1996 upon returning to Korea for his own use. The walls and columns were left unpainted, and the place where a briquette stove once stood was converted into an office. The concept of regenerative architecture began to be widely recognized thereafter. The "On Ground Gallery," now a famous caf? in Seochon, is also a space utilizing a Japanese colonial-era house. The design preserved the main beams and columns, allowing natural light to enter through the gaps between wooden planks.

Architect Cho has been attempting regenerative methods since he began his architectural career. He said, "When I was working in graduate school, the term regenerative architecture did not exist," and "Professors often disliked it because I repaired and reused existing buildings instead of demolishing them every time I designed." He explained that he preferred old, worn, and natural buildings over clean and shiny new ones from the start.

Recycling and Eco-friendliness Itself

F1963 located in Suyeong-gu, Busan.
Photo by Jobyungsoo Architectural Institute

Regenerative architecture naturally became eco-friendly without his special intention. Architect Cho explained, "Many buildings are made as 'eco-friendly architecture,' but I think there is no truly eco-friendly architecture," and added, "I believe that preserving, repairing, and recycling existing buildings without constructing new ones is more meaningful."

Participating in the "2016 Busan Biennale" project, Architect Cho remodeled the old Goryeo Steel Suyeong Factory located in Suyeong-gu, Busan, into a complex art space called "F1963." By utilizing the abandoned factory, he preserved the original factory features such as high ceilings and iron columns, transforming the entire space into an exhibition hall. He emphasized, "I think it is better to have buildings that coexist with existing spaces rather than having parts of a village that have been together for decades randomly disappear."

Architect Jo Byung-su is being interviewed on the 23rd at the Architectural Research Institute in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@