Yesterday was a very tour-heavy day. We started with a visit to Seoul City Hall where we were debriefed on the history of the building and surrounding area by our tour guide. Over the course of the tour, she also provided insight as to how the City Hall acts as a safe haven for the younger generation of Seoul. With a combination of late-night cafes, always-open doors, and 24/7 security, the Seoul City Hall stands as a place where a concerned citizen can always find safety and shelter. To me, the concept of a city hall acting as a 24/7 safe haven is kind of strange as I’m used to US mayoral offices and similar buildings generally being guarded from outsiders, instead prioritizing the security of those inside. They don’t feel as welcoming as the city hall did in Seoul where it seems to almost act as a communal gathering place.

Seoul City Hall was also home to many impressive artworks, from the architectural marvel that was the building itself to the immense vertical garden that lines the entryway. The building had a very distinct silhouette which was only made more eye-catching by the entirely glass and steel construction. Meanwhile, the inside contained sculptures and artworks by Korean artists, representing local craftsmanship and artistry. Finally, there was the aforementioned vertical garden, immediately towering over the entryway. It is entirely sustained by an automatic watering system and the natural light from the glass walls, making the garden surprisingly simple to maintain while still maintaining its grandeur.

That said, something I would love to highlight about my time in Seoul is the seamless integration of modernity and natural implements in the city. I’ve made allusions to this in previous posts, but I want to dedicate this section to that specific aspect of Seoul’s design and planning. For instance, on our first day, we visited Gyeongbokgung Palace, and directly afterwards followed the Cheonggyecheon Stream to our next location. Seeing the Cheonggyecheon Stream running through the middle of the bustling city, right next to the historic palace felt like it should be completely out of place, but the way it was integrated into the city’s architecture made it feel completely natural. The view was beautiful and seeing the city’s residents sitting by the stream enjoying the clear skies was heartwarming. Better yet was the inclusion of an outdoor public library like I used to see at trailheads back home. But admittedly, the greatest shock wasn’t the public libraries, but the size of them. Coming from somebody used to seeing them as neglected glass boxes just big enough to fit 6 books, seeing the full-sized shelves scattered around city greenspaces honestly just made me happy. I love reading and I wish the US would implement social initiatives like this to encourage more people to read. Another place I noticed the use of greenery and plant life in modern architecture was, as mentioned, city hall. Apart from the monumental vertical garden, there were also a multitude of plants present throughout the building. No matter which way you turned, the odds were a young tree would be looking back at you, if not a whole line of them.

Overall, I’ve found the synthesis of modern construction and technology with natural life and cultural history in South Korea to be a wholly unique aesthetic to any I’ve seen in America. Attached you’ll find multiple pictures depicting the scenes I’ve described so you can see that unique blend for yourself.

I’m loving my time in Korea, both as an academic and artist, and this is just one of the many reasons. See you all tomorrow!