Sewoon District 4: Parcel B
Connection to the Sewoon Master Plan
The mixed-use Parcel B building, a collaboration with Space Group, set with the master plan by Koetter Kim & Associates, creates a threshold to the entire Sewoon master plan, while screening the towers within the block from the historic Jongmyu Shire (a UNESCO world heritage site) across Jung-Ro Street on the north side of the building.
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Client: the City of Seoul, Korea
Location: Seoul, Korea
Year: 2008
Status: Unbuilt
Program & Site
Programmatically the building has three levels of retail with office space above. The building's form responds to its urban condition. As pedestrians approach from the Jongmyu Shrine, the building respectfully shingles back in section, recalling the linear horizontal qualities of the shrine without orientalizing its character. Passageways are cut through the building at the ground floor linking the perimeter and the pedestrian interior of the block. Escalators flank the passageways, allowing pedestrians to move freely both horizontally and vertically, thus blurring the distinction between outdoor and indoor space at the retail level.
Design Details
Due to the importance of Jong-Ro street, the northeast corner bookends the site with parcel A. It creates a face of civic importance for an urban plaza situated below at the ground level. Although the offices and retail are distinctly separate by necessity, one of the strengths of Parcel B is the symbiotic use of the office façade at the northeast corner of the building. LED technology is integrated into this elevation, allowing the office tower to serve as a marquee for the retail shops and urban plaza below. Indoor and outdoor spaces are available throughout the building. These amenities create a sense of community within the office buildings, allowing for impromptu gatherings and social events. Indoor landscaped atria are available on floors four and five. Private terraces and verandas are available on the south size on floors seven and ten. A landscaped roof garden provides an urban refuge at the top floor for all employees.