S[e]OUL Encounter 灵魂的相遇
SEOul x Soul ENCOUNTER SOUL IN SEOUL
Seoul, a modern and ancient metropolis, filled with skyscrapers from uptown to downtown Seoul; lining up side by side forming yet again another fascinating modern urban scene. The slow-moving Han River runs through the middle of the city so pretty some calls it a jade belt. A jade belt flowing ever freely along with the sea breeze from the East China Sea. The old palace retains its splendid scene. The traditional Korean tile houses mixed in high-rise buildings are quaint. From the ancient palaces with centuries of history to high-tech skyscrapers made of steel and glasses, from ancient text dating back millennia to the highest rate of broadband Internet access in the world; Seoul is a place where the old and new exist in harmony. With one foot in the past and another in the future, Seoul is a city that never ceases to amaze. Visitors to Seoul will be forever unforgettable the impressions of Seoul. Beginning from the Joseon Dynasty to The Korean Wave, locate the soul of Seoul in its traditional spaces and contemporary places. Uncover the hidden gems that reveals that the Soul of Seoul, and a beautiful one! When one arrives, one may forget about their oneself; be ready to immerse yourself in this poetry...
Old X New Light X Shadow Past X Future Impotent to co-exist Antagonistic Each with distinctiveness Yet so closely intertwined Cannot get one without the other In seek of Everything in between
By Chin Yan Yong Printed for submission of assignment ARC5701 Architectural Innovation and Exploration
old x new SAMCHEONG-DONG 。BUKCHON HANOK GYEONBOKGUNG & CHANGFEOKGUNG
Samcheong-dong was named from a story about the three ‘cheong’ (Chinese character meaning ‘clean’) of the area, namely the mountain, water, and people. It is the hub of culture and everything artistic in downtown Seoul, it is a place where narrow cobble stoned streets connects independent artisan workshops, tea rooms, small museums stores, bookstores, coffee shops, wine bars, art galleries and stylish hangouts to the heritage and traditional architecture of the old Seoul. It is located in the middle of city showing amazing contrast between modern and traditional; boasting the richness in the mixture of old scenes of a sprawling maze of centuries-old traditional ‘hanok’ building with traditional beauty and modern scene. Contradicting to common belief, the new establishments sitting within the former traditional houses complements the old with their ‘new’ harmoniously.
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At the very center of this area is the Bukchon Hanok Village, my favorite find in Seoul. This is a place where I can appreciate the view in the heart of Seoul. Scattered between the cities are two sites, the former Palaces of the Joseon Dynasty and major sites of preservation – Gyeonbokgung and Changdeokgung – This compact village of over 900 hanoks (traditional Korean style houses) stands in stark contrast to the rapidly built urban landscape that surrounds it – marking the dominance of the modern Seoul that has put Korea firmly on the world stage. Parts of the village require a little perseverance, both in seeking out specific historical properties and experiencing traditional Korea living.
Walk in charm These days, one item is taking Korea by storm, creating a new culture trend; it might surprise you to discover that this ‘new’ attraction is an ‘old’ item which has been around for hundreds of years. It is hanbok, one of the most idolized and well-preserved elements of Korean culture and reflects the true beauty and structure of Korean tradition. For me, renting a hanbok sounded like a decent way to connect to Korean culture on my first visit. The outcome? Fantastic! It’s a fun, exciting way to enjoy new sights, sounds, and flavors. The combination of wearing a hanbok and the visual stimulation of the Hanok Village and palaces was a very special experience. It is an expression of appreciation for a preserved part of Korean culture which has survived both turmoil and victory.
light x shadow GWANGHWAMUN。CITY WALL
In the front of the Gwanghwamun city wall is the Gwanghwamun Square, redesigned and open to the public since August 2009. The backdrop of the traditional wooden palace and Bukak Mountain on one side and tall modern buildings surrounding the area on the other forms a mixed scenery that reflects the growth of Korean society, an atmosphere in time where old and new cultures coexist. Gwanghwamun was once the core of administrative politics and stands as the symbol of nations democracy to foster diverse voices of South Korea – events, daily rallies and protests can be seen in one corner of the open space. There is a memorial place and booth for sinking of MV Sewol on Gwanghwamun plaza during our visit.
We are flabbergasted with the fact that there is a center of people’s voice under the plaza. It is a small exhibition that tells the story of people. The most notable case being the rise of the public in the wake of the massive corruption scandal which led to the ouster of the former and now jailed President Park Geun-hye at the end of 2016. During the rally, the city center was filled with tens of thousands of citizens who took to the streets with only one weapon: a candle, to make their voice heard against injustice and to reaffirm the main principle of democracy. The candle resonated with the name of Guanghwamun Gate, which literally means ‘the fate that illuminates the world’ and shows the ‘light of hope’. It reminds me the coalition for clean and Fair Election (BERSIH) and the successful election in my country. It proves that people’s voice can help a country heal and make a difference. This is the power of the people’s voice.
PAST x FUTURE DONGDAEMUN DESIGN PLAZA (DDP
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Dongdawmun is one of the gates in Seoul Fortress Wall. From the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty, it has been serving as the major gate. Dongdawmun has many cultural and memories of the Korean. Since it was the entrance fate in Seoul Fortress Wall, Dongdaemun was always filled with lots of people and crowded with the mass shopping near markets. After hundreds of years, the market place has slowly shifted its function, becoming in turn as a fashion mall. The old stadium got removed and DDP has established with complex of History & Cultural Park and technologic design. It is the most iconic landmark of the Korean design industry andlargest atypical architecture designed by world renowned architect, the late Zaha Hadid. This area is well preserved of Dongdaemin gate and its related history. The shape of DDP resembles a space ship that has been arrived in the middle of Seoul. DDP building itself represent the future and connects time from the past and the present of Dongdaemmun. It is worth noting that there are always various events and activities on-going at DDP. It represents Seoul as creative and futuristic city.
In my opinion, DDP is the most successful urban space I have come across during my trip. We went there for a few times, both days and nights. I love the park and plaza surrounding DDP which blurs the boundary between architecture and nature in a continuous design narrative. The design seamlessly integrates the park and plaza as one. ‘Metonymic’ is a rhetorical expression for indirectly describing an object. And ‘landscape’ as restoring the relationship between humans and their environment. In other words, what Ms. Hadid intended was to create a landscape by metonymically integrating the various historical, cultural, urban societal, and economic features as exhibited by the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).
The origin of this concept is the perceived need of architecture to allow people to imagine what they could not before. DDP will realize the public character and design objectives by pursuing spatial flexibility of a building and park that are associated with the flow of liquid. At the same time, DDP will serve as an educational resource for designers and the public as well as an architectural edifice that adjusts to ongoing cultural changes. The space is designed for all ages. The variety of public spaces within DDP includes the Exhibition Halls, Convention Halls, Design Museum, Library, Lab and Archives, Children's Education Centre, Media Centre, Seminar Rooms and Sky Lounge; enabling DDP to present the widest diversity of exhibitions and events that feed the cultural vitality of the city.
Traveling through the vibrance in Seoul, One may feel easily the dynamic culture In each and every single layout spatial space, they devote to the cities visual arts, history and heritage in bet. With the antagonistic yet harmony co-exist philosophy, there is always something fun and festive going on in between. Uncovering some of its local secrets, I have an encounter with soul of Seoul, and the soul is inherently stunning! Welcome to the S[e]OUL.
AchiTravelogue: Soul of a city CHIN YAN YONG (CHRISITE) GS49604