Header: Photo by yoon_joonhwan
In Ulsan, South Korea, VINE transforms a corporate site into a living experiment where architecture and nature become one.
Completed in August 2025 by the University of Ulsan / Studio Kwan, the project turns the concept of a growing vine into a functional, energy-generating façade. Both visually striking and technically advanced, it was honored with the Construction Product Design of the Year award at the BLT Built Design Awards. The design combines large-scale 3D printing, solar technology, and organic forms to easily merge aesthetic impact with performance.
Innovation in Design and Energy
The VINE is more than just another contemporary project that is visually appealing. Technically, it demonstrates cutting-edge advancements in large-scale robotic 3D printing and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). It overcomes traditional flat panel limitations by producing curved, multi-angled BIPV modules that integrate directly with the façade. Solar path simulations guided the module design, allowing panels to achieve nearly double the summer energy efficiency of standard silicon panels. The system is modular and easy to replace, making it both practical and resilient to seasonal energy fluctuations.
The project was tested at HD Hyundai Construction Equipment in Ulsan, where evaluations confirmed its spatial, visual, and economic value. VINE illustrates how careful integration of form, technology, and environmental performance can create a building that is both functional and expressive, turning a technical installation into a dynamic, organic presence in the urban landscape.
Beom Kwan Kim, the lead designer, is a professor at the University of Ulsan and an architect whose career spans Korea and the UK. After graduating with honours from the AA School in London in 2012, he has contributed to a range of projects, from private homes to master plans, combining architecture and industrial design. His work consistently bridges creativity with technical precision. Kim has been recognised with the 21st Century Talented Person Award from the President of Korea, the Prime Minister’s Award, and multiple honours, such as the K Design Award, Asia Design Prize, and Korea Wood Architecture Design Award.
VINE brings to life a vision where environmental responsiveness, human experience, and architectural expression meet. The structure turns a corporate façade into a living, growing object, offering a model for future urban environments where technology and nature coexist in harmony, without depriving us of one or the other. With its creative use of materials and integration with the environment, VINE demonstrates how even industrial or corporate architecture can become a source of energy, beauty, and inspiration.
