25 Years of Seoul’s Hanok Policy: Envisioning the Future of Hanok

"New Imagination Symposium for Seoul Hanok" Held
Spreading the Future Vision of Everyday Hanok in K-Architectural Culture
Numerous Proposals for Landscape Improvement Emerge from Competition
"Focusing on Creative Architectural and Design In

An event was held to envision the future of Seoul Hanok, which stands at the center of "K-Architectural Culture." As Seoul marks the 25th year of its Hanok policy, the city is providing a platform for experts and citizens to propose and discuss the future direction of Hanok. The city is also creating opportunities for experimental competitions and discourse, such as the "Hanok 4.0 Reinvention Initiative," to expand Hanok as a global residential cultural content.

The "25 Years of Seoul Hanok: New Imagination Symposium" held on the afternoon of December 5 at the Seoul Museum of History in Jongno marks the beginning of these efforts. Under the theme "K-Architectural Culture: New Imagination for Seoul Hanok," experts and citizens will come together to explore the future vision of Seoul Hanok.

25 Years of Seoul’s Hanok Policy: Envisioning the Future of Hanok

Seoul City is holding a symposium to discuss the "New Hanok" with experts and citizens on the 25th anniversary of its Hanok policy. The city will also hold an awards ceremony for the winners of the Seoul Hanok idea contest. Seoul City

As a pre-event to the symposium, an awards ceremony will be held for the winners of the "New Hanok" idea contest. This event offers a preview of the future vision for Hanok that Seoul City and its citizens are considering.

The grand prize winner, Song Jungwoo of Chamuri Architects, submitted "A House Living with Time, City, and People," which focused on multi-unit buildings that disrupt the landscape of Bukchon. The core idea is to restore Bukchon's scenery by remodeling concrete buildings. The work was praised during the judging process as "a realistic improvement proposal that the city of Seoul can actually implement."

Song commented, "I began with the awareness that there are more non-Hanok and multi-unit buildings than Hanok structures in Hanok villages, and I tried to address this through architecture. I expect that the renovation of multi-unit buildings in Hanok villages, with detailed guidelines developed within the Hanok architectural style, will result in even more interesting buildings."

Jeon Bonghee, chair of the judging panel and professor at Seoul National University, remarked in the overall review of the winning entries, "Proposals aimed at improving the landscape of Hanok villages, and those that presented robust and focused plans in terms of construction methods and material use, received high marks. I hope that such competitions will become even more active in the future, thanks to the participation of established architects, emerging architects, and architecture students from various generations."

Kim Bongryul, Professor Emeritus at Korea National University of Arts, who delivered the congratulatory address at the symposium, stated, "In the manifesto of this contest, Hanok is described as 'the house of Koreans' and 'architecture with a Korean genetic code.' It is not a matter of form, material, or technology, but rather architecture and urban spaces that universalize the architectural values and everyday life created and accumulated by Korean history. Hanok is a home with emotional value and spiritual richness that goes beyond functional value."

Other experts who served as contest judges also presented perspectives on the future of Hanok, stating, "We hope you will weave the unique scenery of Korean cities by interlacing the warp of Seoul and the weft of Hanok," "The future vision of Seoul Hanok can be found not in fossilized tradition but in the ongoing exploration of space," "Hanok will expand as much as we imagine," "Explosive revival and self-synthesis. This accelerated transformation is why, at this moment, we are reflecting on the architectural archetypes of a part of the earth," "The power to connect tradition to the future lies not in repetition but in imagination," and "We should always view tradition with flexibility."

Six of the winning teams are also scheduled to present their themes. In addition to Song's "The Potential for Change in Non-Hanok Buildings through Hanok," two teams awarded the excellence prize and three teams awarded the merit prize will present on topics such as Hanok module expansion, eco-friendly circulation systems, and Hanok apartments. The presentations by category include: ▲ Excellence Prize: "Eco-Friendliness of Hanok through Circulation Systems" by Choi Younghwa and Jeon Hakyeong, and "Expansion of Hanok Modules" by Park Subin; ▲ Merit Prize: "Small Houses of Bukchon: Courtyards and Furniture" by Cho Jeonggu, "Seoul's Courtyards Woven with Hanok Joinery" by Noh Heegwang, and "Between Spaces (2025 Hanok Apartments for Citizens)" by Won Duho.

The symposium will also reflect on the major achievements of Seoul's Hanok policy over the past 25 years. Professor Jeon Bonghee of Seoul National University will deliver a keynote lecture on "K-Architectural Culture: The Future Vision of Seoul Hanok," presenting the future direction for Hanok. The comprehensive discussion will be moderated by Lee Kangmin, professor at Korea National University of Arts, with panelists including Kim Youngsu, professor at University of Seoul; Shin Chihoo, director of the National Hanok Center; Do Yeonjeong, CEO of Huam Yeonjae Architecture Research Institute; Jeong Isaac, CEO of Acolab; and Kim Woncheon, CEO of Chamuri Construction, who will discuss the future vision of Seoul Hanok.

Choi Jinseok, Director of Housing for Seoul City, stated, "Seoul Hanok represents K-Architectural Culture, and we are focusing on creative architectural and design attempts that reflect changing lifestyles. As this year marks the 25th anniversary of Seoul's Hanok policy, I hope this symposium will serve as a venue for us to envision and communicate the future of Hanok as it evolves into the architecture of future cities."

Meanwhile, the 13 winning entries from the contest will be on special exhibition at the Seoul Hanok Support Center and Village Library in Gye-dong, Jongno-gu, until December 7. In these public Hanok spaces, visitors can explore models and project panels, as well as watch interview videos with contest participants and experts, to discover ideas for the future of Seoul Hanok.