2017 Best of Design Award for Representation – Analog: Cosmic Metropolis Designer: Van Dusen Architects Location: Conceptual Cosmic Metropolis began as a single 18-by-24-inch improvised cityscape riff, rendered freehand in ink and marker. The composition grew organically in axonometric format from the first panel and expanded to many others. When complete, 18 panels arranged six wide by three tall make up the nine-by-six-foot mural, which repeats horizontally. The black, white, and gray tones create an illusion of depth in the total absence of shadows. “A wonderfully wild energy here.” —Irene Sunwoo, Director of Exhibitions, GSAPP (juror) Artist: Ben Van Dusen Digital Fabricator: Ellen Van Dusen Honorable Mention  Project: Trash Peaks Designer: Design Earth  Location: 2017 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism Trash Peaks proposes six projects on geographies of waste in Seoul, represented by a carpet, a screen, and ceramics. The carpet is an infographic for each project. The ceramic models function as tea ceremony tableware. The folding screen appropriates the Korean irworobongdo, which portrays a stylized landscape of peaks, to critique the relationship between technology and threatened ecologies.

When space to play is hard to come by, there isn't always room for multiple recreational activities like soccer and basketball. In Seoul, South Korea, designated recreational areas have to be booked up to two months in advance. Of course, as most children will gladly inform you, any space can be played in so long as there is a ball. Abiding by this ethos, B.U.S. Architecture from Seoul has designed the "Undefined Playground," a transportable and transformable sports pavilion. Offering tennis, soccer, basketball, and "flying disc" configurations, the foldable structure is set on wheels, which allows it to be rolled onto any hard surface. When folded accordingly, goal posts for soccer can be revealed, as can basketball hoops and a tennis wall. The pentagonal, steel frame features wood panelling, rises to 12 feet, and occupies 158 square feet. When fully open, a hammock (formed from nets) stretches out within the structure. Additionally, space for storage and a snack bar—which can serve as a ticket booth—make it a versatile recreation utility for dense urban environments.

"Every time we build or renovate a building, we make a public act." - DaeWha Kang

By combining contemporary material processes with organic principles, DaeWha Kang Design has transformed a 1980’s-era office building into a new dynamic headquarters for Communique, a public relations firm in Seoul Korea. With a very limited budget, the project team focused on four key points throughout the design process: the production of a human-oriented design, an environmentally responsive facade, a collaborative working environment, and evaluation of design through simulation and measurement. The renovation scope includes retrofitting a ground level parking area into an indoor/outdoor café, re-programming of the office area to maximize daylight for employee desk locations, and a rooftop terrace inspired by traditional Korean hoerang, or circumambulatory walkways. One of the most eyecatching elements of the project is an existing column, on the ground level, clad with a tessellation of silver leaves. The mirror finish stainless steel panels reflect the activity of the street while also visually doubling the height of a relatively low existing space (less than 9 feet). A curved surface between the column and the soffit is realized with singly folded diamond shaped panels, producing a triangulated effect. The pattern expands beyond the intensity of the column, into larger flat shaped panels. This geometry wraps up the facade, producing a primary grid which further warps in response to sightlines of the building from the surrounding urban context. The architects incorporated new high-performance double-glazed units and provided insulation at the exterior walls to combat significant thermal and condensation issues in the existing building. MaCheon grey granite panels regionally sourced provide a strong gray coloration to the facade. DaeWha Kang, Principal of DaeWha Kang Design, says the panels are attached to the facade with a simple bracket and pin anchoring detail allowing for future removal for maintenance if necessary: “That means that even if the building facade needs to be maintained in thirty or forty years time, it will be possible to remove each of the panels from the brackets without damaging them.”

• Facade Manufacturer Chowon Partners (Kim Deuk Yong)
• Architects DaeWha Kang Design (design architect); Chowon Partners (local architect)
• Facade Installer Chowon Partners (Kim Deuk Yong)
• Facade Consultants Michal Wojtkiewicz (innovation benchmarking); Younha Rhee (sustainability consultant)
• Location Seoul, Korea
• Date of Completion 2015
• System sealed granite panels on subframe over reinforced concrete structure; stainless steel panels on ground level
• Products fully custom MaCheon grey granite and stainless steel panel assembly, window assembly from custom profiles

Digital analysis tools were employed during the design process to correct existing glare and daylighting issues in the existing space. Solar radiation analysis helped to determine the optimum quantity and location of windows in the office floors, while various window opening directions were tested in a fluid dynamics simulation. The team ended up with a series of casement windows that produce gill-like openings in the building envelope. These openings are paired with louvered blinds on the interior for further glare reduction without blocking air circulation. One of the significant findings from the analysis was that the lower floors required larger openings than the upper floors. Establishing an optimum window opening size allowed the panelization of the facade to geometrically integrate with the openings, creating what Kang calls “a completely organic integration of aesthetics and building performance.” The patterning of the facade was further influenced by standard block lengths from the quarry where the stone was sourced, constructability factors such as the maximum weight for a one-person installation, and the reduction in quantity of more costly curved panel geometry. These constraints produced secondary panelization geometry. A hierarchy between the two grids was visually reinforced by a chamfered corner cut all at primary grid lines, producing a shadow gap along the panel edge. Kang says this architectural process has produced a project that “has content and character, not just branding and image,” and is aligned with broader community ideals: “Projects like this are crucial in Seoul. We must move beyond the city as an accumulation of isolated buildings that do nothing for their surrounding neighborhood, and instead support clients who have a vision to do something more with their ambitions.”

New York based Studio Dror claims their proposal for a public space in Seoul acts as a 21st century platform for public self expression on an individual and community level. Their submission is part of the Sejong-daero Historic Cultural Space Design Competition which is seeking projects to occupy the former site of Seoul’s National Tax Service Building. The project seeks to integrate the surrounding context with the cultural history of the site by creating a meaningful and accessible public resource that touches on private and public experiences. This is achieved via the implementation of raised platforms that offering sweeping views of the area, juxtaposed by lower down areas which offer a much more enclosed space. Eager to amplify the notion of expression at this level however, Studio Dror has included a public stage with in the space creating an amphitheater that also, according to the practice, "doubles as a recording studio to document and maximize exposure." This is aided by the surrounding walls that encapsulate the space and act as an acoustic device. The square will be open 24 hours a day, all year round allowing people to express themselves whenever they want and for all voices to be heard. Recognizing the popular contemporary digital and online formats of expression, a digital archive will be formed, creating an "ever-growing oral history project: an invaluable resource for future generations and a powerful, 21st-century strategy for memorializing the site."

Just when you were getting tired of more High Line copies, Dutch architects MVRDV has breathed new life into the genre with their winning proposal for the “Seoul Skygarden,” a 3,000 foot long section of disused elevated highway. Their design doesn’t simply reappropriate the space into a linear public parkway—it uses the original 1970s structure as the basis for an urban horticultural extravaganza. Form that structure, which was deemed unusable for cars in 2009, the designers have attached a series of stairs, lifts and escalators as well as new satellite gardens that will grow with the needs of the park. The design features 254 different species of trees, shrubs, and flowers, which are chosen to showcase the biodiversity of Seoul. The library of plants is organized alphabetically and will educate visitors. New leisure spaces such as flower shops, street markets, libraries and greenhouses will provide respite from the city. The new urban thruway will connect two zones that were previously separated by a railway station and a subsequent 25 minute walk. The now-pedestrian friendly path will reduce this walk to 11 minutes, while simultaneously producing an estimated 1.83 times its own cost for the city.    

Dynamic steel and PVDF structures shelter campers in style.

In South Korea, glamping—or “glamorous camping”—is all the rage. The practice combines conventional camping’s affinity for the outdoors with hotel amenities, including comfortable bedding and fine food. Seoul firm ArchiWorkshop’s prefabricated, semi-permanent glamping structures are a design-minded twist on the traditional platform tent. “We [set out to] create a glamping [tent] that gives people a chance to experience nature very close, while also providing a uniquely designed architectural experience,” said partner Hee Jun Sim. “There are many glamping sites in Korea, but they’re actually not so high-end. We were able to bring up the level of glamping in Korea.” ArchiWorkshop designed two models of glamping tents. The Stacking Doughnut is, as the name suggests, circular, with a wedge-shaped deck between the bedroom and living room. “We put the donuts at different angles, stacked them . . . and simply connected the lines. This line became the structure,” explained Sim. “The basic idea was very simple, but in the end the shape was very dynamic.” The Modular Flow is a gently oscillating tube, its sleeping and lounging areas separated by an interior partition. The shape was created from a series of identical modules lined up back-to-front to produce the curve. Both models feature a white, double-layer PVDF membrane stretched over a stainless steel frame. The decks are built of wood, while the interior floors are carpeted in a cream-colored textile flooring product from Sweden.

• Fabricator Dong-A System
• Designers ArchiWorkshop
• Location Danwol-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Date of Completion 2013
• Material PVDF, stainless steel, wood, textile flooring
• Process hand drawing, modeling, AutoCAD, Rhino, 3ds Max, MPanel, laser cutting, welding, bolting

Sim and partner Su Jeong Park “used every possible tool” to design the glamping units. They started with hand sketches, then moved to physical models. “The model wasn’t so simple to make because it was a strong shape [without] straight or fixed walls,” said Sim. Once they had determined a rough form, they bounced among multiple computer programs—including AutoCAD, Rhino, and 3ds Max—to refine the design and create shop drawings. Sim and Park used MPanel to generate the membrane surface. Dong-A System prefabricated the glamping tents off site, laser cutting the components of the steel frame before welding them together. “Because every part of the shape is connected, it had to be super-precise, or the end form would [not be] straight,” said Sim. On site, the structures were simply bolted into place. ArchiWorkshop built eight glamping structures on spec on a site in South Korea. “We actually used the whole site as a test site, to show the world, ‘Hello, we are [here],’” said Sim. The architects are open to adapting the designs to suit different climates or cultures. “What we designed on the test site is very Asian or Korean, a poetic kind of shape, but I think different countries have different clients with different needs,” explained Sim. While Sim acknowledges that there are a number of luxury tents already on the market, he is not concerned. “We had a bit of a late start,” he said, “but we . . . have a different concept with a different kind of approach to the tent.” In the meantime, the challenge of designing outside the box has been its own reward. “We love designing buildings,” said Sim, “but this kind of different structural project is also very refreshing for architects.”

Korean architecture firm UTAA collaborated with three architecture students at the University of Seoul (Lee Sang-myeong, Ha Ki-seong, Baek Jong-ho) to spruce up a campus parking lot.  The Rest Hole is created by wooden ribs installed into a largely vacant and underutilized space that lay at the base of a University dorm. The architects were saddled with task of transforming the dark and inefficient area into a warmer and inviting space conducive to relaxation and gatherings. Unsightly columns have been hidden behind a series of curvaceous wooden panels that fill out the vacancy beneath the dorm to form a rounded hall. As the enclosure extends into the parking lot, it constricts, a progression that creates the illusion that the space has been excavated. The hole is large enough to accommodate extra tables and seating in addition to those platforms naturally created by the curvature of the ribs. The organic forms and tones of the wooden womb stand in stark contrast to the drab rectilinearity of the surrounding buildings.

Zaha Hadid Architects designed 16 bespoke polyurethane display units for fashion designer Neil Barrett's shops.

Fashion designer Neil Barrett hired Zaha Hadid Architects to design a cohesive display concept for a new flagship store in Tokyo that could be easily rolled out to his other locations as well, which include four shops in Seoul and one in Hong Kong. The result had to be as sartorial as Barrett’s fashions, so Hadid’s team came up with the idea of cutting the displays for all of the stores from a single block of material. The concept resulted in 16 bespoke display elements, which all fit together like pieces of a puzzle. "We wanted to design a project that always belongs together but offers a choice between different sizes," said project architect Claudia Wulf. "The reason we designed a modular landscape is that we have extremely different area requirements [across all of the shops]." The units, which are carved from a solid unit, range in size from 13 1/2 feet by 13 3/4 feet to 4 feet by 6 feet. Paired, the units create a sinuous artificial landscape that unfolds across multiple display levels. The pieces can be grouped to suit the scale and space of each boutique, and display shoes, bags, or accessories just as easily.

• Fabricators Evergrow
• Designers Zaha Hadid Architects
• Location Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong
• Date of Completion 2008
• Material Corian, polyurethane, glass fiber resin, lacquer
• Process CNC mill, Rhino

Hadid’s team worked with Rhino to develop the idea of creating tangents through straight lines and curves, as well as soft lines and strong edges. What begins as a sharp point curves softly into the next display shelf. The team bounced the evolving design between the client and Chinese fabricator Evergrow, refining the profiles of each unit. For the flagship store in Japan, the designers chose to craft the first set from Corian in order to develop a strong dialogue between the existing envelope of the building and the display’s smooth yet curvaceous surface. A uniform, white palette enhances the formality of the display, while creating a strong contrast against a polished black floor. For subsequent locations, Hadid’s team updated the display material to polyurethane, as there was less time afforded for transportation and installation. The 3D file was sent to Evergrow, which CNC-milled the pieces from solid polyurethane. The fabricator applied a very thin coat of glass fiber resin to reinforce the surface and sanded it until smooth. A high-quality lacquer, comparable to what would be used for an automotive finish, was applied to protect against daily wear and scratching. "We definitely challenged the material use [with this project] because the edges are very slim," said Wulf, adding that during a recent project follow up, she was surprised by the number of people inquiring how such sharp edges were achieved on such a smooth form. "As often as we have the opportunity, we push the boundaries of materials a little farther so that you are surprised." Zaha Hadid Architects is currently developing Neil Barrett Shop in Shop projects in Beijing, Shanghai, and Seoul. As many as eight shops could be completed by the end of 2013.

As East Asian cities continue to modernize and densify, monotonous and dehumanizing blocks tend to replace the finely-grained, small-scale architecture and urbanism such as Beijing’s Hutong, Tokyo’s small wooden houses, and Singapore’s traditional villages. These “urban ecologies that have evolved over the course of centuries,” as Dutch firm MVRDV explains, foster a social interconnectivity in these communities, forming the basis for a new exhibition currently on view in Seoul, South Korea. MVRDV presents their research on rapid urban transformation in East Asia in Welcome to the Vertical Village at Seoul's Total Museum of Contemporary Art presented through rich audio-visual displays and vibrantly-colored installations of an imagined Vertical Village of more than 700 individual pieces, a solution in opposition to monolithic development while embracing the density it provides. The exhibition describes an alternative model of development that embraces the qualities of dense three-dimensional communities while preserving the diversity, flexibility, and personal freedom present in traditional East Asian villages. The exhibition runs through October 7, 2012.

Guy Horton, a frequent contributor to AN, here adds his thoughts on the still-steaming controversy over MVRDV's twin towers. MVRDV’s design for what they call The Cloud, a twin high-rise with a connecting “cloud” above the waistline, has resulted in an blitz of negative criticism. Americans who have never heard of the Dutch firm are now phoning and emailing threats and condemnation non-stop—some are personal threats aimed at individuals. They have even been called “Al Qaeda lovers.” From the American point of view, a highly emotional response was probably predictable. How dare they, right after the tenth anniversary of 9/11, right when One World Trade Center (formerly Freedom Tower) is set to reach it’s symbolic 1776-foot mark, at last filling the long-vacant airspace of lower Manhattan? How could these…these…Dutchmen re-animate this trauma buried in the American psyche? Well…the point is that they aren’t re-animating anything. And while the memorial at Ground Zero is buried, the trauma is not. It’s frightening and revealing how close to the surface it is when a single image can spark it. They didn’t do it on purpose. They are just architects, after all, and architects sometimes forget to reflect on their designs in terms of, say, the War on Terror, or on events that transpired ten years ago in a foreign country—our country being foreign to them. In sum, not everything everywhere revolves around what happened on 9/11. It’s not always about us. Furthermore, we don’t require MVRDV for reminders of 9/11. The casualties from two wars, a devastated economy, polarized politics, torture, NDAA, militarized police forces in our cities, the Patriot Act, TSA strip-searches, the fact that if you appear to be of Middle-Eastern decent you are assumed to be a terrorist—the list of everyday reminders expands seemingly like the design of the cloud itself, block by block, forming a storm front around us. A building designed by Dutch architects for South Koreans is hardly relevant when compared to the very real impact 9/11 has had on our democracy and, by extension, our built environment. So, let us leave the Dutch architects alone. They were just being MVRDV, international starchitects, playing with logic as they often do. The Cloud is merely an extension of their obsession with fractal repetition…the potential of monotony to produce something non-monotonous. But this, too, is subjective—just like ghost sightings of 9/11 in an architectural rendering. They have said they are sorry, but the developer has not announced officially whether there are plans to change the early concept design. Nor should they be forced to change it. In a recent blog entry, Aaron Betsky says that because the design is now out there, it has become a poisoned meme signifying all those bad memories and therefore fails as a building. “Back to the drawing board, MVRDV,” he concludes. So, while we can acknowledge that The Cloud is a meme of one sort to Americans, it is also obviously a different sort of meme to others. What is far more troubling is the reaction to the concept design. It demonstrates that we are still a long way from recovery and while the wars are winding down we are still at war with ourselves. MVRDV is inadvertently giving us a small opportunity to look up and just see clouds for a change. As an American, I for one would prefer this to a meme any day. But, as Mr. Betsky notes, memes are hard to escape. Please, MVRDV, help us find new memes! [Guy Horton writes on the culture and business of architecture in his column, CONTOURS on Archinect, and blogs for GOOD Magazine and The Huffington Post. He is also the author of the book The Real Architect's Handbook: Things I Didn't Learn in Architecture School.]