N. 1127 (2024 Beautiful Architecture Award)

Photo: ⓒ 윤흥로

To overcome the steep, narrow slope in front of the site, two entry levels were created at appropriate heights. From those datum points, the key challenge was to craft a symbolic image for the building's front within the constraints of sunlight restrictions. Particular attention was paid to achieving spatial variation at each position on the relatively narrow site—a condition essential for realizing genuinely distinctive spaces.

The intention was to imbue each floor, each space, and each detail with spatial transformation and diversity, allowing the building to express a sense of place beyond its function as an orthopedic clinic. Walking up the alley to the entrance, one encounters a new symbol of the place. The massing and finishes one had vaguely anticipated are confirmed, and the flow of spatial variation—compact yet richly packed—is realized. As a bonus, views open up to the Han River and beyond to Inwangsan Mountain.