JONGNO-GU GOVERNMENT COMPLEX

THE AURA OF THE NEW JONGNO-GU GOVERNMENT COMPLEX

Our spatial response to the design for Jongno-gu Government Complex ( JGGC ) aims to create a space for the users of the government complex and public where nature is one of the main subject of the project to combine the integrated government office building and the future value of civil society through an ‘Urban Passage’.

JGGC will play a catalytic role in Seoul City not only to become a place for symbol of integrated Jongno-gu area as a ‘Public Passage’ on the above and below ground with cultural and architectural treasure but also let the citizens to become owners of public spaces.  So that citizens, administration and council can co-exist harmoniously together in a special aura in the center of the city while the sense of nostalgia keeps going and people will be part of the past and future.

The aura is not a physical space but it is a feeling. This feeling can be created by elevation of communication so it is better for citizens, administration and council to be together through the design of the new Government Complex.  Everything becomes interconnected.

Designing a multicultural interconnected spaces are planned through keeping the existing building at north-east part of the site and respecting its architectural values. JGGC  extends from both ends on the north and south wings of the existing building and creates a podium mass with keeping the same height while raising into two office towers towards and watch tower on the west side of the government complex as part of the Jongno-gu Fire Station . It generates an interconnected continuous form with an urban passage courtyards in the middle that gives backs a shared space to the city and citizens of the city.

 

JGGC’s terraced form has a role as a design tool for meeting functional requirements and conditions of spatial comfort and building physics, inhabits spaces such as council building, offices with affiliated spaces, workspaces, community health center and neighborhood facilities. Meanwhile the existing old building is planned to have a creative and harmonious planning combines the Literary Hall and social facilities with citizens.

Government Complex form allows a wide range possibilities for the citizens and users of the complex to access the several new functions from multiple access points. It generates a diversity by creative combinations of new cityscape that encompasses past & future. Everything becomes visible and accessible.

JGGC design combines its form and structure, offers a complete concept to obtain coherency between plan and sections, and harmonizes the new government complex elevations with its own landscape. It will create a significant gathering place for many people over the years. It will attract also young people to be part of this new government complex through the Urban Passage. This spatial complex will act as a place for stopping, resting, gathering, a roof for the city life of Jongno-gu with several passages.

This design dialogue creates the relationship between the new Jongno-gu Government Complex and the surrounding urban context to define the identity of this ambience in which the nature and architecture meet. JGGC will create a harmony as an expression.

Ecological Approach and Sustainability

Sustainability concepts in the design of the JGGC can be summarized under the headings of “site and environmental relations, energy usage, water usage, building materials, indoor environmental quality, and operational and maintenance practices”. 

Preliminary decisions on sustainability are related to the forming, location and orientation of the mass of building. The effect of sun and wind the building surface were taken into consideration.  With this basic approach, the positive effect of building form and location on solar control, daylighting, and natural ventilation will be maximized.

In the landscape design, limited surfaces reflecting the sunlight, creation of shaded areas with tree groups and creation of microclimatic effects with structural elements such as folding surfaces are some examples of other decisions under the site and environmental relation heading.

Equipment and technologies to reduce consumption in utility water systems will be used in the building. Wastewater recovery (gray water) and reuse in appropriate areas will be ensured. Planting elements in landscape design will be determined according to climatic conditions, endemic and non-irrigation options.

The building materials used in the buildings are intended to be environmentally friendly in the sense of the entire lifecycle. The use of petrochemical-based plastic, PVC and similar materials, which have a negative impact on the environment, is minimized. Natural materials or their derivatives are used in building facade systems and indoor floor coverings. The GRC material of the precast panels of building envelope - as façade and roof cover - is a highly advantageous choice in terms of reflecting, storing and transmitting heat. The natural stones used in interior floor tiling have high performance in terms of usage and maintenance.

As mentioned above, the mass formation of the building and the features of its outer shell allow for increased interior comfort. With these design decisions, daylighting is maximized, and appropriate ventilation and moisture control is obtained. It is aimed to control climatic and chemical effects as necessary for a healthy living and working environment.

Proposed systems and materials are advantageous for operational and maintenance processes and cost control. Cleaning, maintenance and renovation costs of durable, solid and natural or natural derivative materials - such as natural stone, GRC, glass, and metal - will be extremely low.

Advanced automation systems in the building will support building operation in areas such as reduced personnel expenditure, energy consumption reduction, security, and protection.

To promote sustainability and create a distinct architectural presence, the façade system will be integrated exterior columns with the skin that includes spandrel and glazing panels. Parametric modeling will be employed to develop the geometry for penalization for the exterior skin of the structure. Façade system consists of precast GRC elements. The transparent surface between the precast elements varies depending on the direction and the relationship between the outer and interior.