Site.

Kukje engaged SO-IL in re-imagining its presence in the historic urban fabric of Sogyeok-dong, a low-rise area in the northern part of Seoul. Small alleyways and courtyard houses characterize this neighborhood which is currently being overtaken by newly constructed galleries, boutiques and coffee shops. The program is simple - quintessential gallery space, as large as the zoning envelope allows for. The ground floor space is to be used for large installations, performances and other functions, while the two underground floors house a sales room, a lecture space and storage areas. Circulation is pushed to the perimeter to maintain the pure geometry of the box. A perimeter skylight admits natural light.

As the Seoul arts community is increasingly more globalized and professionalized, it is important that Kukje remains influential as a destination. Simultaneously, concerns grow within the local government that over-sized and eclectic architectures are destroying the delicate urban fabric. A recent decree requires new construction to blend in within the historic city fabric. Our design responds to these ambivalent forces by creating tactile ambiguity.

Plan.

The clear diagrammatic geometry of the white cube would be too rigid in the historic fabric. Our idea was to envelop the building in a permanent nebula by wrapping a pliable chainmail veil around the box. The chainmail, through a combination of multidirectional reflection, openness, and the moiré pattern it generates through the interplay of its shadows has the potential of producing a layer of “fuzz” in front of the actual building mass. An additional characteristic of the chainmail mesh is that it can stretch thus avoiding creasing. It is strong yet pliable, and can easily wrap around crude geometries.

库克杰展览馆位于韩国首尔市区北部一片历史悠久的低层住宅地带，而SO-IL设计的新馆旨在为这一区域带来全新的建筑气息。在这个由小巷和四合院组成的纯朴社区里，正拔地而起许多新建的展览馆、时装店和咖啡厅。库克杰新馆的空间要求很简单——经典的展厅式方块形建筑，面积在城市用途分区的允许下要尽可能地做到最大。地上一层的空间用来展览大型艺术品、行为艺术、表演等，而地下两层则容纳了一个商店、报告厅和储物间。楼梯等通道则被推到建筑周边以确保展览空间的纯净与简洁。除此之外，在展览厅的屋顶外延一圈也覆盖了连续的天窗以提供充足的自然光。

随着首尔艺术界国际化和专业化的进程不断加深，库克杰展览馆需成为引领韩国展览类建筑风向标的重要性也不言而喻。同时，当地政府却也顾虑新建的大型和新奇建筑或许会破会传统的城市结构。一个最近出台的法规便要求新工程必须要能与历史社区和谐相容。诸如此类的外界因素非但没有局限我们的思维，却激发我们使设计在满足要求的同时也并创造出一种视觉和触觉的模糊效果。

另外一方面，如果仅仅建造一个干净的白色方块必将难与现存的古建筑和谐共存。我们解决这一问题的想法是在建筑的周围包裹一层由金属环串联成的“锁子甲”式的柔软网装体。这层金属网通过反光、投影、滤光、莫尔效应等在建筑的外围形成一种茸茸模糊的效果。该材料的另一特点是它可以在一定范围内进行拉伸而避免褶皱和下垂。这种坚实却又柔软的材料也可以轻松的覆盖棱角分明的几何形体。