Project Overview


Clients

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Year

2015

Status

International Competition

Program

Historic Preservation + Youth Center + Eldly Center

Team

 

Awards

Honorable Mention 


Project Description


“How can we renovate the rural buildings that are deserted by 20th century urbanization?”

 

The former grain storage building design was based purely on functionality and efficiency. Large-scale ground floor openings and windows for ventilation were the basis of the design that favored the functional needs of the building rather than comfort and human use. This new proposal transforms the discarded storage building into a new ‘place’ for the elderly and youth of the rural neighborhoods, through a sensitive intervention and series of careful additions rather than a singular-fully, new ground-up, imposing structure.

Urban scale strategy for SITE A & B

 

Because the surrounding fences in the site are open to allow for accessibility between neighborhoods, no new walls are proposed on Site A. This will allow for maximum connectivity between the two sites. The west side of Site B is used as a corridor to link both north and south passageways. Both the spaces for the existing building with high ceiling in Site A and the new construction in Site B are reinterpreted in a more human scales through the incorporation of a variety of split levels that will maximize spatial usage and programmatic variance.

 

 

SITE A

Transformation from the storage for grains to the space for people
A rational approach for the renovation of the existing grain storage building is made possible through minimal demolition and a recladding of the existing structure with new resilient, aged copper. Reinforcing the traditional residential typology found in the region by increasing natural lighting from the east and west sides presents a new, iconic identity not only from the main road, but also from the surrounding passage way. A separate maintenance entrance is proposed on Site A accessible along the east wall. This entrance ensures that any collision between the users and staff will be avoided.
The walls of the existing grain storage are recommended to be converted to a flexible motorized glass wall in order to improve the poor spatial quality of the deep floor plans. The resulting void spaces become part of the flexible community workspaces. This idea is derived from the traditional Korean architectural element of the ‘Madang’ – courtyard, a space not defined for a single function but designed to conform to multi-purposes. The variable empty space is proposed as an inverted multi-purpose space across Site A. The elderly multi-purpose space is proposed as a flexible outdoor theater space to provide a wide range of adaptability. Up to 45cm above ground, the existing façade, concrete, is revealed in order to highlight the existing elements of rural architecture found on the site. Above 45cm, viewing platforms with seating for the elderly are oriented towards the newly proposed multi- purpose outdoor theater.
The central part actively engages both to the north and south side of the site and adjacent context with two different opening systems. On the south, a pivoting wall system is proposed, which, when opened, becomes a huge shading device facing toward the south extension. On the opposite north-facing side of the structure, a vertical sliding wall panel system can open up to reveal views to the ‘Sobaek’ mountain. During a town festival, the interior space extends out to the adjacent – allow for connectivity – to the new extension building to the south and for activation between the two buildings. Across Site A, a structural frame is proposed to accommodate any future expansion while also reinforcing the traditional  esidential typology. The structure can be adapted as an exhibition space for either local artists including Shin Sung-yeon or visitors.

 

SITE B

A new trajectory for combining all programs as a whole is proposed
Because, Site B has been already in use by the locals, minimum changes have been made to enhance its historical integrity. Instead of extending new construction onto the restricted site area, the traditional residential typology that was applied in Site A has been optimized on top of the existing structure on Site B.
The proposal will bond together all of the diverse individual programs and accommodate the activities of the youth. On the rooftop of the existing building, level 3, a new observation deck – exposes users to the vast surrounding landscape. By traveling one more floor up to level 4, users will seamlessly enter into the new extension building. The new lifted space has a more flexible open plan – giving multiple possibilities for future adaptability and usage.
By aligning the new construction on Site B to the existing axis of Site A, a visual and formal connection is made between the two sites. The exterior of the existing building in Site B is re-cladded with sustainably sourced local stone creating two contrasting facades between the existing building below and the new construction above. The existing cores are moved to the utility space. The structural skeletons are exposed in the interiors of the building on Site B so traces of the existing buildings can be read throughout the proposed modification and addition.