South Korea’s capital and largest city, Seoul is now home to the new Foster + Partners offices. The facilities are located within the vibrant Samcheong-dong neighbourhood. The area is characterised by its wide array of artistic and cultural landmarks. Foster + Partners converted an existing three-story building on leafy into a state-of-the-art workspace. This will support the firm’s ongoing work in the region and the development of several major projects in Seoul which are currently confidential.
The beautiful gingko trees in the Samcheong-ro neighbourhood add color to the new office space and change with the seasons. What’s more, the building features large, bright open work areas and formal meeting rooms. Additionally, there are social spaces where employees can enjoy breaks together.
Other Foster + Partners projects in South Korea
Further, Foster + Partners has previously completed a number of projects in the city. These include Apple Myeongdong, which occupies the full width of a city block in the bustling neighbourhood. More details on this project are given below. Additionally, the architecture firm designed Hankook Technodome in Daejeon, a 98,000-square-metre research and development facility that attracts the industry’s top talent. Lastly, it involved Hankook Technoplex in Pangyo. Its collaboration reflects Hankook’s development as a global brand and echoes its excellence in engineering.
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“We are delighted to announce our latest office opening in Seoul. This new location will allow us to develop our presence in South Korea. We will be able to operate at the very highest level, with additional support and guidance from our local team on the ground. We look forward to welcoming clients to our new space. Moreover, we look forward to strengthening connections across the region.” David Summerfield, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said.
“Our new office is in the historic center of the city is only a stone’s throw from some of its most spectacular landmarks. These include Gyeongbokgung Palace to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. It is a great privilege to be working at the heart of the inspiring city that is Seoul. It perfectly balances history, art, culture, and cutting-edge innovation,” Sekwan Kim, Partner, Foster + Partners, added.
The Apple Store in Myeongdong
The iconic Apple store in Myeongdong is located at the bottom of a 20-storey mixed-use tower and takes up the full width of the city block to create a grand street frontage. The landscape also flows into the store through with a shaded grove of trees within the grand atrium. Pocket parks bring with them quiet spots to give a break from the bustling streets. Sculptures from South Korean artists Jaehyo Lee and Vakki will add interesting spots that lead into a peaceful setting.
Inside, the store’s finishes extend into the shared lobby areas of the tower to form large, open spaces that beckon people to flow into the store across multiple levels.
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On the upper level, the warm wooden ceiling above creates a long, flat surface that extends into the lobby areas. The upper floor has the Forum, which sticks out into the tall atrium, making a high gallery where people can look out at the city. Next to it, the Boardroom features a special light setup using Hanji paper reflectors.
The two levels are connected via a staircase that wraps around the elevator shaft with graduated reflectivity to dematerialize over its height, creating a dynamic visitor experience.
