Cheil Worldwide HQ Building

The Hannamdong Building renovation envisions transforming an eleven-story, 22,000 m² department store into a technologically advanced multimedia building for Cheil Communications. The site is located at the southern foot of Nam Mountain in the center of Seoul, Korea. By reshaping the existing irregular building profile, the new design resolves a complex site geometry while providing a distinct profile for the Seoul skyline.

The roof, angled to recall the mountainous periphery of the city, is further accentuated at night with translucent sun breakers. A curved, taut glazing system is stretched in front of a vertical stone-clad core wall. Between these layers are the various media departments, which include film, video, and animation.

The entire massing and glazing concept is inspired by traditional Korean architectural principles, emphasizing a strong articulation of structural and space-enclosing systems. Gridded surfaces of metal strong backs, horizontal mullions, and several types of patterned glass walls produce a rich texture of shade and tinted shadow in a gossamer-line surface, paying homage to the local architectural heritage.