Located in Seoul, South Korea, the Googun Office is designed to answer the needs of a real estate development and construction company, but also the special complexity of diverse functions. Don’t let the name fool you; the building is not just an office space. It expands to include the CEO’s residence, a gallery, dormitories, a communal dining area, and outdoor event spaces. Rather than stacked vertically, the variety of spaces has been integrated through visual continuity, while paying special attention to the surrounding landscape and light.
Softening the concrete exterior
Massive concrete exterior makes a strong first impression. A recessed entrance and a transparent meeting room on the ground floor convey a dual notion of appearing both open and closed at the same time. Moving on from the ground-floor gallery, the visual line expands towards offices and the reception area. In order to ensure horizontal openness, both of these spaces feature open courtyards. As visitors climb the upper floor, the space grows more three-dimensional, reaching its peak in a vertical void that connects the rooftop to the residence of the Chief Executive Officer.
The use of the material
Speaking of materials, the exposed concrete is paired with coloured stainless steel, while bespoke furniture made of metal and wood completes the design. The building’s rough exterior is softened with landscaping on each floor, which also provides the design with a unique rhythm. The design surpasses the boundaries of an office space, thus becoming an active framework where different programs coexist, intertwine, and reflect values of openness and multiplicity. The glass and steel elements provide the massive building with some much-needed lightness.
Studiozt: South Korea’s finest
Studiozt, the Seoul-based interior design and architecture studio, was founded in 2022 to fulfil the needs of cities and people, which are constantly changing and evolving. Known for its integrated thinking (which reconciles the city, landscape and life), and technical expertise, Studiozt creates coherent designs which merge architecture, urban planning, interior design and furniture design. The pursuit of answering the fundamental questions is the guiding principle of the company, which strives to design spaces where beauty, functionality and sustainability can live in harmony.
The Googun Office design was awarded first place at the BLT Built Design Awards in the Architectural Design – Commercial category, recognising the project’s architectural clarity and its expanded vision of the workplace.
