First Annual Excellence in Architectural Culture Award Established → Five Works Selected Through Public Recruitment
Award Ceremony on the 23rd at the Lawn in Front of the District Office… Exhibition of Winning Works Held Until the 25th
Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) will showcase the five winning entries of the newly established 1st ‘Songpa Architecture Awards’ for the first time over three days from the 23rd to the 25th on the lawn in front of the district office.
Songpa-gu is a prominent tourist city, with one in five visitors to Seoul in the first half of this year having visited the district. The ‘Songpa Architecture Awards’ were established this year as a key project of the 8th elected administration’s ‘Songpa-daero Premium Street Development Project,’ aimed at encouraging the construction of magnificent landscapes and unique, beautiful buildings befitting the city’s reputation.
In August, the district publicly invited submissions for buildings approved for use within the last 10 years (including new construction, extensions, and major renovations). Internal and external expert judges conducted a first round of document screening to shortlist candidates for the second round of on-site evaluations, where they comprehensively assessed the degree to which the design intent was realized, artistic value, and maintenance status of each building.
As a result of the judging, five buildings were selected as winners: one grand prize, one excellence award, and three merit awards. The prestigious grand prize went to the 15-story KG Tower knowledge industry center (Munjeong-dong), characterized by its modern and sophisticated facade design and open spaces that naturally bring the outdoors inside the building.
Additionally, ▲the excellence award was given to S5215 on Songridan-gil (Songpa-dong), and the merit awards went to Grid 149 (Songpa-dong), Daon 3015 (Wirye-dong), and LOTTE GRS 79 SQUARE (Samjeon-dong), respectively.
On the 23rd, an awards ceremony was held on the lawn of the district office with designers, building owners, and other stakeholders in attendance. Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, presented certificates to the winners and emphasized the importance of architectural design while appreciating the winning works with the guests.
The final winning works can be viewed in the front yard of the district office for three days from the 23rd to the 25th. The exhibition is linked with the Songpa Architects Association exhibition (Songpa Architecture Festival), showcasing major works by local architects.
Mayor Seo Gang-seok of Songpa-gu stated, “The Songpa Architecture Awards were established with the aim of promoting the development of local architectural culture and creating a beautiful urban landscape. Urban architecture requires a multidisciplinary approach combining art and engineering. We will continue to make various efforts to ensure that buildings with high artistic value, professional knowledge, and social affection are actively constructed.”
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