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A Tour of Seoul's Streetside Architecture (9): Seochon Gallery Stroll

Published Date : Dec 23, 2021 / Edited Date : Jun 09, 2023
멋길따라 서울건축여행 / VISIT SEOUL X archibear

Seochon, Artistic Village West of Gyeongbokgung Palace

Tongin-dong and Okin-dong in Seoul are collectively called Seochon (“West Village”) as they are located west of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Seochon is close to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the beopgung* of the Joseon dynasty and consists of low-rise buildings to conserve the cultural significance of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Seochon is characterized by Korean-style architectural elements such as small stores and houses with urban hanok-style tiled roofs and bricks.

Surrounded by the foothills of Inwangsan Mountain and Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seochon has great access to nature and it is also a place where famous artists resided, including Lee Jung-seop, Chun Kyung-ja, Lee Sang, and Yun Dong-ju. Therefore, today the village is full of unique and cute galleries. One of the charms of Seochon is that you can take a stroll, enjoying the artistic and cultural vibes that each small and cute alley brings.

If you want to enjoy both Korean traditions and unique galleries, how about taking a walk along the alleys of Seochon near Gyeongbokgung Palace?

* Beopgung: An official palace of the royal family.

Unique Subway Station that Symbolizes Gyeongbokgung Palace

#Gyeongbokgung_Station

Subway line 3 passes through Sajik-ro, which is located in the south of Gyeongbokgung Palace, leading to the construction of Gyeongbokgung Station in 1985. It was a very important project to design Gyeongbokgung Station as it was to be connected to Gyeongbokgung Palace, a major palace in Seoul. Korea’s first-generation modern architects, Kim Su-geun and Ryu Chun-soo took charge of design. Gyeongbokgung Station has subway tracks on the lowest floor, ticket booths and a multi-purpose hall on the next floor and an exhibition center on the top floor. Seoul Metro Art Center boasts Gyeongbokgung Station’s unique architectural features.
It is an arched structure made of granite with square-shaped holes that emit light. Its waffle flat slab roof which resembles a waffle pie is an outcome of collaboration between architects and structural engineers. Moreover, Gyeongbokgung Station is decorated with traditional elements that recreated stone lanterns, Bullomun Gate* of Changdeokgung Palace, octagonal pillars and Gyeongbokgung Palace walls. The station transformed its corridor that leads to exit 5 (National Palace Museum of Korea) into an impressive gallery.
* Bullomun Gate: A flagstone gate which brings eternal youth and a long and healthy life to anyone who passes through it.
  • Gyeongbokgun Station Metro Art Gallery
  • 130, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
  •  
  • #Gyeongbokgung_Station #Gyeongbokgung #MetroArtGallery #Exit_5





Lights Shining Through the Bricks of a Spacious Building

#Ground_Seesaw_Seochon #Brick_Well

In Seochon, there is a unique structure built by piling up bricks with gaps between one another. The circular jungjeong* inside the raised piloti* features a small garden composed of a pond and trees. Situated in Tongui-dong, Brick Well was built as a company building at first. However, it currently serves as a cultural complex by the name of Ground Seesaw because of its beautiful structure.
* Piloti: An open space that separates a building from the first floor made by leaving only columns and bare walls.

* Jungjeong: A courtyard that is completely or mostly enclosed by the walls of a large building.
Brick Well does not provide a sense of heaviness and solemnity unlike other brick buildings. It was built by dividing cream-colored bricks into three equal parts. Unlike the traditional method of stacking bricks, Brick Well did not use mortar, but used the dry construction method of threading bricks instead. Using its own construction method, Brick Well could build a circular building. Lights shining through the bricks and shadows make the building more special.
  • Ground Seesaw Seochon
  • 18-8, Jahamun-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
  •  
  • #Brick_Well #Ground_Seesaw_Seochon #SoA #Brick





A Window Gallery that Features Alleys in Seochon

#Artside_Gallery

Artside Gallery blends with the surroundings, but also stands out among other buildings in Seochon. The wooden façade adds beauty to the building and other walls are dark gray in tune with the surrounding hanok roofs. Architect Hwang Du-jin gave a lot of thought to how this gallery can connect with the city, while being located in an alley filled with old buildings.
So, he used a long window for the entrance of the gallery, which faces many people walking on the street to attract their attention to artworks as stores use display windows to attract visitors. In this way, Artside Gallery became a new window structure, which is different from other galleries. You can view artworks in a high ceiling exhibition hall on the basement floor and look outside through a long window on the first floor.
  • Artside Gallery
  • 15, Jahamun-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
  •  
  • #Artside_Gallery #Galleria_Artside #Doojin_Hwang_Architects #Show_Window #Window_Gallery





Architecture that Blends the Past and Present

#Gallery_Simon

On the other side of Artside Gallery is a gray rectangular building. It is Gallery Simon, a gallery with an exterior made entirely of bricks, which creates a sense of simplicity and luxury. From the beginning, the gallery was intended to serve as a place with rich history and memories, instead of a new fresh gallery. Although Artside Gallery and Gallery Simon create completely different vibes, they both blend in well with the alleys of Tongui-dong.
Despite being a small gallery, Gallery Simon provides a spacious exhibition hall with a high ceiling. It used post-tension construction method* to remove interior pillars. Windows that face the staircase and lighting that illuminates the staircase are impressive. The gallery also has a cafe on the fourth floor where you can enjoy a beautiful view of Tongui-dong through a long window.
* Post-tension construction method: A method of producing pre-stressed concrete to increase tensile strength and withstand greater loads.
  • Gallery Simon
  • 20, Jahamun-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
  •  
  • #Gallery_Simon #Brick_Wall #Tongui-dong_Scenery #Architecture_Group_MA #Changuigung_House





Rebirth of an Old Inn with Rich History

#Boan1942 #Boan_Inn

There is an old and small dark red house with an inn sign, in front of Yeongchumun Gate. Next to the house, there is a new building which is taller and gives off similar vibes. They both belong to Boan1942, a place that serves as a cafe, a bookstore, a gallery as well as a guest house. The shorter building is a gallery which remodeled an old inn, which was built in 1942. Its old design and inn sign bring back your old memories and make you feel as if time is standing still.
It is also a place where famous Korean modern artists such as Seo Jeong-ju and Kim Dal-jin stayed for a long time and wrote Siin Burak. Famous writers and painters such as Lee Sang, Gu Bon-ung and Lee Jung-seop stayed in this inn as well. The second floor of the inn is connected to Boan Library in the new building. The new building has an exterior built with dark red bricks in tune with the streets of Tongui-dong, and it is about three meters further away from the road than the inn building. It was designed to blend well with the surrounding elements by Min Hyun-sik.
  • Boan1942
  • 33, Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
  •  
  • #Boan_Inn #Boan1942 #Jeoksan_House #Guesthouse




Our architectural walking course is here!
An illustrated map of the places introduced in the 9th episode of A Tour of Seoul's Streetside Architecture. Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 is located in the center bottom of the map, and Gyeongbokgung Palace is located on the right. Above Gyeongbokgung Station, the first course, is the Tongui Police Box and the Financial Supervisory Service Training Center. Ground Seesaw, Artside Gallery, and Gallery Simon are located in the upper area. The last security building introduced is located above the right corner of the three galleries, just opposite of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Visit Seoul × ArchiBear

Buildings and architecture form a city, and cities come together to form a country. And that’s why architecture reflects the history and culture of a city as a component of the city. Seoul X Archibear’s A Tour of Seoul’s Streetside Architecture was designed to provide a fresh perspective on the city by sharing the anecdotes of architectural culture while traveling around South Korea’s capital.

Well-built and distinctive architecture can serve as a piece of art carved in our city. And in Seoul, which is rich with diverse history and characteristics, there are beautiful buildings that are worth paying a visit. We hope that this special series helps promote Seoul as an ideal travel destination and invite everyone to experience the hidden architectural beauty in Seoul’s everyday life.

A Tour of Seoul’s Streetside Architecture series was produced by Visit Seoul in collaboration with ArchiBear, a brand created by the architectural culture and travel content company, Haas Studio.

Curious to get more information on architectural tourism in Seoul?
Tags

#Tonguidong #SeoulArchitectureTour #MetroArtGallery #Seochon #VisitSeoulXArchiBear #JeoksanHouse #Brickwell #GyeongbokgungStation #GalleriaSimon #GroundSeesaw #ArtsideGallery #BoanInn #Boan1942

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  • 予約を確認するため、徒歩観光事務局(02-6925-0777)で確認のための連絡が行われます。
    (少なくとも5日~1ヶ月前)3回以上電話が通じない場合、予約が取り消されることがあります。
  • 解説を進行する時に発生する安全事故に対し、徒歩観光事務局とソウル文化観光解説士は
    責任を負いません。
  • 気象特報(猛暑、台風、豪雨、PM2.5)によりウォーキングツアーの運営が難しいと判断された場合、全ての予約は中止とさせて頂きます。(発効後直ちにキャンセルを行う)
    ※ 下記のリンクにてご予約当日の気象特報をご確認ください。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/ja/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
预约前说明事项
  • 观光日基准最少3日前方可进行预约。
  • 最多可申请10人。
    (※ 景福宫, 昌德宫, 昌庆宫是例外 最多可申请20人)
  • 在已登记的预约团体中,只接待不超过预约人数的团体,可在前一天17时前追加预约。
  • 下个月的预约可从前一月15日开始。
  • 如有发热或呼吸道症状(发烧、咳嗽、痰液、肌肉痛、鼻塞、咽喉痛等),请避免参与解说活动。
  • 无保护者随同的未满14岁儿童游客,会在现场取消解说活动。
  • 气象特报(酷暑、台风、暴雨 、雾霾 等)导致徒步观光项目暂停时,所有预约将一律被取消。(发布紧急措施时立即取消)
    ※ 请在以下网站上随时确认预约当天的气象特报。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
  • 对于解说活动中发生的安全事故,首尔徒步解说旅游事务局和首尔文化观光解说社不予负责。
预约前说明事项
  • 观光日基准最少1日前方可进行预约。
  • 本线路是为了行动不便者(行动不便的高龄者、残疾人、婴儿车利用者等)的路线。
  • 无辅助人员(或同行人)伴随时,不可利用。
    ※ 步行不便者1名至少需要1名以上的辅助人员陪同。
    ※ 电动辅助器具(电动轮椅、电动独轮车等)使用者时,每一位辅助人员最多可陪同 4名步行不便者。
  • 希望观光的日期及线路上无解说员时,预约有可能被取消。
  • 为了确认预约,徒步观光事务局(02-6925-0777)会致电进行确认。
    (最少5日~一个月前) 3次以上无法连接时,预约将被取消。
  • 进行解说时,对于有可能发生的安全事故,徒步观光事务局和首尔文化观光解说员概不负责。
  • 气象特报(酷暑、台风、暴雨 、雾霾 等)导致徒步观光项目暂停时,所有预约将一律被取消。(发布紧急措施时立即取消)
    ※ 请在以下网站上随时确认预约当天的气象特报。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
預約前說明事項
  • 最晚請於預約日期3天前完成預約。
  • 最多可申請10人。
    (※ 景福宮, 昌德宮, 昌慶宮是例外 最多可申請20人)
  • 已完成預約的團體若人數超過限制,可於前一天下午5點前追加預約。
  • 每月15日將開放下個月的預約。
  • 若有發燒或呼吸道症狀(發燒、咳嗽、咳痰、肌肉酸痛、鼻塞、喉嚨痛),請避免參與本活動。
  • 未有保護者同行的未滿14歲兒童遊客,會在現場取消參與資格。
  • 氣象特報(酷暑、颱風、暴雨 、霧霾 等)而導致徒步觀光無法進行時,將一律取消所有預約。(發布限令時將立即取消)
    ※ 請在以下網站上隨時確認預約當天的氣象特報。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
  • 進行解說時,對於有可能發生的安全事故,首爾徒步解說觀光事務局和首爾文化觀光解說員概不負責。
預約前說明事項
  • 觀光日基準最少1日前方可進行預約。
  • 本線路是為了行動不便者(行動不便的高齡者、殘疾人、嬰兒車利用者等)的路線。
  • 無輔助人員(或同行人)伴隨時,不可利用。
    ※ 步行不便者1名至少需要1名以上的輔助人員陪同。
    ※ 電動輔助器具(電動輪椅、電動獨輪車等)使用者時,每壹位輔助人員最多可陪同 4名步行不便者。
  • 希望觀光的日期及線路上無解說員時,預約有可能被取消。
  • 為了確認預約,徒步觀光事務局(02-6925-0777)會致電進行確認。
    (最少5日~壹個月前) 3次以上無法連接時,預約將被取消。
  • 進行解說時,對於有可能發生的安全事故,徒步觀光事務局和首爾文化觀光 解說員概不負責。
  • 氣象特報(酷暑、颱風、暴雨 、霧霾 等)而導致徒步觀光無法進行時,將一律取消所有預約。(發布限令時將立即取消)
    ※ 請在以下網站上隨時確認預約當天的氣象特報。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)