In a city rich with history and tradition, Seoul stands at a crossroad. Once known as Hanyang, the capital of the Joseon Dynasty, 600 years ago, it was envisioned as a city harmoniously intertwined with the land, mountains, rivers and winds. However, over the past century, the relentless march of urban development has eroded much of Seoul’s natural environment and its unique identity. The collision of modernity and tradition has left its skyline uneven and fragmented, disconnecting the city from its natural surroundings.

This critical juncture in Seoul’s history is what the fourth Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism seeks to address. Under the theme 'Land Architecture, Land Urbanism-City of Mountain Ranges, Waterways and Wind Breezes-Drawing of the Seoul’s Next 100 Years,' this event has taken up the responsibility of Seoul’s legacy by examining the figurative, ecological and cultural relationships that tie the land to the city. It focuses on the ‘realisation of interdependence’ through land architecture and aspires to gather examples of 'land urbanism' that embody an ideal vision of Seoul’s future.

Byoung Soo Cho, the esteemed General Director of the biennale and a renowned Korean architect known for his ability to harmonise architecture with nature, leads this ambitious initiative. The biennale aspires to create a collective vision for Seoul in a century’s time. It aims to restore the city’s traditional geography, including its natural landmarks like mountain trails, waterways and wind paths. With participation from 65 cities, 132 teams, 31 universities and 29 overseas government and public institutions, this architecture exhibition is poised to be a thought-provoking and transformative experience.

Delving into the heart of the event, Cho highlights, “Land architecture is not an architecture that boasts its presence. It is rather an architecture of experience through thoughtful relationships, permeating the land or being softly on the land. In other words, it is an architecture of enlightenment. Creating spaces that seamlessly blend with the environment is not enough. To avoid alienation and promote emotional well-being, we must embrace sociocultural insights. Our designs are a tapestry of history, identity and future aspirations.” Building on the curator’s vision of architecture as enlightenment, the biennale brings together five diverse exhibitions, collectively shaping our perception of Seoul’s future.

Thematic Exhibition (Land Architecture, Land Urbanism)

At the heart of the event, the Thematic Exhibition delves deep into the essence of 'Land Architecture'. It listens to the land’s voice, deciphers its desires and creatively crafts architecture that responds in kind. It is a process of emptying and permeating that connects the past, present and the future. Visitors to the exhibition have the opportunity to explore mountain paths, waterways and wind roads, intimately engaging with the essence of land urbanism at Seonghyeon-Dong. At the Seoul Hall of Urbanism and Architecture, photographs, paintings, interview series, research works and diagrams bring to life the concept of sound urban spaces created by landscape architecture.

The exhibition examines ‘land architecture’ through three lenses; ecology, topography and views. It introduces diverse discourses and projects on land urbanism. Key features include the Seoul Green Ring (SGR), the vision of Seoul as an ecological city; One City-State (OCS), exploring super mega cities and the future transformation of urban architecture; the Han River Whale, offering a third dimensional digital journey through the city’s future and the Seoul urban Architecture Platform (SAUP). Visitors can walk along the topography of Songhyeon Green Plaza and experience the city of Seoul with various views of the Sky Pavilion and the Earth Pavilion.

Seoul 100-year masterplan exhibition (Seoul Green Network)

How can Seoul reclaim its inherent value over the next century? The Seoul 100-year masterplan exhibition seeks to answer this question by envisioning long-term plans that engage seamlessly with the surrounding natural environment. The goal is to create an eco-friendly, high-density city that harnesses the beauty of a green network. The exhibition introduces the concept of ‘multi-layered land use’ and the development of a green-ring urbanism. It is a fascinating collaboration of architecture and urban planning experts and participants selected through an open competition which was held in July-September 2022. Together, they paint a visionary picture of Seoul’s future.

Guests Cities Exhibition (Parallel Grounds: Cities between Density and Public Value)

Vitality of a city begins at the ground level, where the city meets its streets. However, the growth of urban areas has introduced intricate dynamics that challenge the foundational stage for many urban activities. Guests Cities exhibition, themed Parallel Grounds: Cities between Density and Public Value, addresses this challenge. It reframes the idea of densification from a simple vertical stacking of functions to a reshaped, broadened and reorganised ground that prioritises efficiency and public value. Through completed and ongoing projects, this exhibition provides a platform for shared and learned experiences.

Global Studios (Bridging the Megacity)

Overwhelming development in mega-cities demands a shift towards more humane, nature-infused urban environments. Furthermore, in a world where daily conflicts are widespread, architectural concepts are vital in formulating positive ideas for a sustainable future.

Global studios is a platform where young architectural students worldwide come together to address these challenges and envision a future where nature and biodiversity regain their central place in the city. Through innovative projects and ideas, these students aim to provide fresh insights into the future of sustainable global development. This exhibition features the architecture of Stephen Hall, who has been creating three-dimensional structures responding closely to the topography. It includes a project on traditional underground dwellings and modernised apartments, exploring the co-existence of life above and below ground. The exhibition also highlights urban architecture renewal projects in Tokyo that create new legacies of history and culture through floor area ratio trading.

On-Site Projects (Experimental Node: Gleaned Human Senses)

Seonghyeon Green Plaza, once a remote island in the city, has been reclaimed and reconnected to the city. It is the primary venue for the biennale 2023, offering a historical and geographical perspective on the city’s transformation. This on-site project provides a unique opportunity to observe how the public interacts with outdoor exhibitions under varying weather conditions. It serves as an experimental ground to explore the varied possibilities of Seonghyeon Green Plaza’s integration into the urban context. This exhibition features seven pavilions each offering an immersive experience and architectural connection between the plaza and the city. Let’s take a closer look at these structures.

Reworld

A structure designed by artist Kimchi and Chips that envisions Seoul’s appearance in 100 years using thousands of lenses and artificial intelligence.

Trees and Traces (IN) Visible

This pavilion design by Plastique Fantastique, Germany, is a flexible membrane structure created through air pressure which offers a unique spatial experience of the everyday and the extraordinary, reflecting on the artefacts found on site.

Pair Pavilion: A Double Trait

Pair Pavilion by Pezo von Ellrichshausen (Chile) is a flat equilateral triangular structure with little thickness that explores sub-textual relationships between space, people and the pavilion’s lifecycle.

The Outdoor Room

This pavilion designed by Frank Barkow, salazarsequeromedina (United States, Germany, Spain) is a sustainable design for a cube of space made of sustainable materials, which offers views of the surrounding landscapes of Seonghyeon-dong.

Sound of Architecture

Designed by Ricardo Blumer, Switzerland, the 23 colourful units of this pavilion represent different skies of Songheyon-dong, creating a visual and auditory experience.

Seoul Drawing Table

This is an event pavilion designed by Francisco Leiva from Spain, where the viewer can draw a future Seoul with an artist at a drawing table, abstractly depicting the city’s topography.

The Pavilion Jitda (To build)

A spatial design for a device by Jung Goo Cho, Korea, that connects our senses and memories of traditional home archetypes.

In addition to these prominent exhibitions, the architecture biennale is an immersive platform for public programmes, talks, roundtables, group events, photo exhibitions, yoga sessions and various collateral exhibitions. It transcends the boundaries of Seoul to inspire and offer solutions for urban development on a global scale.

As the curator aptly encapsulates the event’s essence, he says, “As we envision the future of Seoul through the 4^th edition of the biennale, our goal reaches beyond the city’s boundaries. We hope that the solutions we explore here will inspire urban improvement not only in Seoul but also in cities across Korea and around the world. Our architecture biennale is designed to offer a unique perspective on the city, allowing our audience to directly engage with and learn about the natural elements that define Seoul’s central axis. In doing so, we aim to showcase the city’s rich heritage founded on principles of eco-friendliness and organicism.

He adds, “We believe this experience will resonate with people from all walks of life, be they Koreans or foreigners, architects or urban planners, reinforcing the importance of preserving and nurturing these qualities.The SBAU 2023 will mark Seoul as a research subject and invite participants to engage in multi- layered discussions to find paths to land urbanism and act as adequate coordinates for constructing new cities”.

Taking place from September 1 to October 29, the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism represents a pivotal moment in Seoul’s history. This event not only offers immersive experiences to explore Seoul’s past, present and future but is a testament to the city’s forward-looking spirit, an invitation to rethink urban spaces and a bridge to inspire other cities worldwide.