9ro Pyeongsang
Guro, Seoul, Republic of Korea,
2020-2023
The 9-ro Pyeongsang is located at the eastern end of the Hangdong Public Housing District in Seoul, and is adjacent to the public arboretum on the north side of the site, with a 35m road. It has a library, botanical garden, grass square, and various theme gardens, and is an urban park that 500,000 people use annually.
A client who continues the family business with a coffee business commissioned a cafe where factory and cafe could coexist. The two areas consist of a factory filled with machines and a consumption area filled with tables. The focus of architecture is to seek individual independence and complementary relationships between the two areas with different components, and to induce interesting and new spatial experiences for visitors.
FORT & PORT
Dolsan, Yeosu, Republic of Korea,
2020-2022
FORT & PORT is located in the middle of a mountain altitude of 100m in Baekcho-gil, Dolsan Island, Yeosu-si. In the northwest direction, Yeosu City is formed around Jonggo-Mountain, and there are Marae-Mountain, Jasan Park along the narrow coastal plain. On the southwest side of the site, the city skyline, where Seguji Village and the South Sea contrast, is attractive. Yeosu was spotlighted as a marine tourist destination in the South Sea in 2012, but the beautiful Yeosu night sea formed along Odongdo Island and other maritime islands, Bridges and Dolsan strait became a geographical background.
45th cycle World Architecture Award(WA)
2023 Architecture Master Prize Winner
ALEFFEE
Yeongin, Asan, Republic of Korea,
2020-2021
The client, a young farmer in Asan, purchased a land of 6,652㎡ near the reservoir and asked to design leisure facilities for local residents. The reservoir, which has supplied only water for agricultural use, has an opportunity to expand into an activity space for city dwellers in line with the changes of the times. ALEFFEE is an answer to the question; “How can we find a new interface with the urban program and categorize to achieve sustainability for reservoir, dam, and farmland, which have been neglected in the process of rural urbanization?”
43rd cycle World Architecture Award(WA)
Elystay
Jeongeup, Republic of Korea,
2019-2021
“Vacation” is an everyday experience that occurs every year, as well as an extraordinary experience of leaving where I was. People want to go to unfamiliar places, but they want to find familiarity in them. You can enjoy the whole experience in Elystay. In the Elystay room, surrounded by Naejangsan Mountain, it gives an unusual feeling of being completely alone. But at the same time, the huge yard gives you a sense of everyday life that you can enjoy with anyone. Elystay’s big concept is the harmony between daily and non-daily, both private and public.
42nd cycle World Architecture Award(WA)
CORALANI
Gijang-gun, Busan, Republic of Korea, 2018-2021
The coast starting from Songjeong Port to Songjeong Beach and Jukdo Park leads to Coralani. Coralani which means coral is named after Namhae, the client's hometown. The site was constructed at a height of 7 meters above sea level. The foundation protects against natural disasters such as typhoons and tsunamis and bears upper part of the building.
Le Detour
Yeongtong, Suwon, Republic of Korea, 2019-2020
The architectural concept of this café is an owner's warm heart for the guests. Just as the gate in the past was a thing that revealed the house owner's versatility and character, the process of entering café should also be carefully designed. Therefore, a small garden was set up in front of the building and the path leading to the entrance was extended to make vistiors feel invited. It is for the same reason that water space and stair shaped plains were placed.
ALLEY SQUARE
Gangnam, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2019
CAFORE
Gangha, Yangpyeong, Republic of Korea,
2017-2019
Cabinet of a forest,
“Sky, stars and clouds are powerful contexts here. Dazzling blue sky, pitch darkness, starry night, raining landscape and clouds that rise up one after the other create a new place when they meet white concrete.”
While parks open our windpipe in the extremely dense city, CAFORE is an urban look that is firmly entrenched in a forest. As people find a park in a grey city, CAFORE transfers the joy of walking in a passage to nature. The long and winding Namhan River, quiet Yangja Mountain, dense pine forest, and migratory birds over the seasons still belong to the scenery here, but users will discover potentials of nature by reacting to multifaceted fashion-related programs.
Paju Gardenus
Tanhyeon, Paju, Republic of Korea, 2017-2018
The courtyard has been borrowed as architectural element, all over the world, and throughout the history of mankind. It is a roofless space surrounded by walls and structures, playing an intermediary role between inside and outside, private and public. It has been used as a place for various activities, as it is separated from the world outside its walls, but it doesn't belong to the indoor realm.
Gijang Waveon
Gijang-gun, Busan, Republic of Korea, 2015-2016
Gijang near to Busan, port city, the second largest city in Korea, is famous for beautiful scenery of seashore rendered by inspiringly eroded rock, wave of clean seawater and groups of pine trees at a height of about 30 feet. WAVEON, the unique cafe in the beach, is located in a hill overlooking the shore in Gijang. Our client wanted to get a 500㎡-sized building just for cafe where we can look down the sandy and rocky shore wherever we are.
In fact, depending on where and how we see the beach, the sea shows diverse views for us. Accordingly, the significant matter of this project is how we can grasp and deal with the relationship between natural scene and architecture.
2018 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Prime Minister citation
2017 World Architecture Community
24th cycle World Architecture Award(WA)
U RETREAT
Hongchen, Republic of Korea, 2014-2016
The Jeongja is a space which is unified with nature, liberating its users from the confines of the home. The program of the Jeongja is rest, play, and retreat with the nature. The cliff situated in front of this site has a variety of tress which creates an enormous screen representing seasonally altering moods. The dramatic leveling made by the cliff and trees inspires awe in us. This became the concept of 'leveling' that generates multi-leveled spaces, so that users may enjoy the surroundings at a variety of levels. Each multi-leveled unit conceives various retreat places, diverse leveled interior spaces, the skipped terraces, a private pool and spa and so on.
2016 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Grand Prize
2016 Korean Institute of Architects Award
ROOFRUN HOUSE
Bundang-dong, Seongnam, Republic of Korea, 2013-2015
ROOFRUN HOUSE is an architecture using pitched roof structure. Let's imagine this. Families take a walk around their pitched roof, peep into neighbouring roofs, and have a picnic on roof,
The closest church
Unyang-dong, Gimpo, Republic of Korea, 2013-2015
The closest church is a sacred architecture located within commercially vibrant apartment housing area, pursuing public concern of community as well as religious values. Accordingly, on top of religious meaning of spatiality, openness toward community is pivotal point of architectural design in this church project.
2015 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Award of Honor
Sincheon-ri House
Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, 2012-2013
Sincheon-ri House is located in Gapyeong, South Korea, a popular suburban area for urban dwellers seeking a home in the countryside. The clients, a celebrity super-couple at the height of the Korean Wave, requested a serene shelter from their hectic routines in reality and on stage.
2016 World Architecture Community
22nd cycle World Architecture Award(WA)
F.S.ONE
Seowon-gu, Cheongju, Republic of Korea, 2012-2013
F.S.ONE proposes a transformation of the program of the 'neighborhood rental facility', stripping down the gigantic concrete mass to yield solid piloti, podium and stairs. The open air hotel integrates high profit programs, shelter, shade, and stages diverse interactions. F.S.ONE was recognized with the Korean Architectural Prize of Excellence.
2016 Amerian Architecture Prize
/GOLD prize
2014 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Award of Honor
2013 Kim Soogeun Architecture Award Preview
Guesthouse Rivendell
Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, 2011-2012
Gusesthouse Rivendell is a lavish pension located in the popular resort town of Gapyeong. By functioning as guesthouse and hotel, the project challenges the meaning of 'exotic architecure' in Korea.
The internalized central court and lengthy passageways bring in ever changing atmospheric transformations. The project was awarded a prize of excellence by Korea's highest honor for architectural design in 2014
2013 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Award of Honor
The Moken_Pension
Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea, 2009-2011
Built on a steep slope, the pension MOKEN combines the convenience of a tent with a sense of rural luxury. Satisfying the needs for stratified hierarchy of tourist facilities, the resort has been applauded for its attempt to introduce city style architecture in an increasingly richer Korean countryside.
2012 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Prime Minister citation
2011 Korea Space Design Award
/ Special Award
25th cycle World Architecture Award(WA)
Hangang Guardians A
Mapo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2008-2009
One of Kwak's previous works pivotal in his nomination as a public architect of Seoul, Hangang Guardians was inspired by Korean floor mats, or dotjari, inciting scenes of play along the River Han of Seoul. The integrated concrete form functions as shelther, shade, and play house, and is set to be the location for the 2016 reality production between China and Korea.
2010 Seoul City Architecture Award
/ Award of Honor
Hangang Guardians B
Mapo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2008-2009
The second in the series of public park facilities incorporates the features of the rim of a hat; reflecting the delicate daily habits of those walking by the river Han. Here, Kwak incorporates concrete as a sustainable method to modulate thermal energy, countering the year round exrteme climates. Located near the Nanji island, a massive regenerated landfill park, the project was recognized with a public architecture award of excellence by Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2010.
2010 Seoul City Architecture Award
/ Award of Honor
42nd Route House
Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea, 2007-2008
Commissioned for the client's elderly parents, 42nd Route House combines sleek modern concrete design with traditional Korean features in heating and layout. Amidst the tasteless landscape, the double facade project twists into view transforming the motorway into a local tourist attraction.
2009 Kangwon-do Landscape Excellence Award / Special Award
2008 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Prime Minister citation
Tethys
Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2006-2007
Tethys towers over Korea's most high end district at the heart of Gangnam. Standing amidst competing works of architecture, Tethys actively challenges the cramped urban dynamics, introducing a new facade onto the pavement, with a distinct separation the upper and lower mass topped with penthouse.
2008 KAA(Korean Architecture Award)
/ Award of Honor
Dorothy Music
Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2003-2004
Dorothy Music was inspired by the theme of 'city slicker', a term that was purposed for the client's life of integrating the surrounding urban culture, his workplace and living quarters in a single building. While illegal roof top housing has long plagued Korean housing regulations as tiny apartments for the city's poor, Kwak inserted a 'ㄹ'shaped form to emulate the illegal style's sense of coziness and privacy in a penthouse like form.
Fineart
Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2003
Based on the architect's insight into the discrepancy between rising real estate prices and quality of life within the cramped capital, the Fineart Building is a 6 floor office building topped with a sloping penthouse. Its concrete and glass form, as well as piloti solution for the facade is consistent with Kwak's unique style. Geometrical form overlaps with the pyramid like features containing a sense of integrated sturdiness in design.
Jeju 4.3 Memorial Park
Bonggae-dong, Jeji, Republic of Korea, 2002(Competition)
Competition entry to commemorate the April 3rd massacre on Jeju island in 1947 as part of the surrounding park.
Sukmodo Resort
Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, Republic of Korea, 2008
Design proposal for luxury resort in Sukmo Island.
Gyeongchun-line park
Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2009 (Competition)
Design proposal for former Gyeongchun-line park project. Set within a district with the highest population density in suburban Seoul (of at least 619,000 people per 35km), the proposal incorporates different modes of seeing
