The Gangnam district of Seoul, under the leadership of Mayor Cho Seong-myeong, is set to host the 12th Annual Beautiful Buildings Exhibition at the COEX East Gate Lobby from the 5th to the 9th of this month, culminating in an award ceremony at 3 PM on the 6th.
The city has been actively promoting outstanding architectural designs that enhance urban aesthetics and contribute to the development of architectural culture since 2006 through its 'Beautiful Buildings' program. Following a public submission period from April to June, the jury selected a total of 15 winning entries in July, including a Grand Prize (1 point), Outstanding Awards (2 points), Excellence Awards (3 points), and Beautiful Architecture Awards (9 points).
The Grand Prize-winning building is GOLD&WISE THE FIRST, located in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu (849 Eonju-ro). This KB Financial facility spans from the underground 2nd floor to the 7th floor, with a total floor area of 3,293.34 square meters. Its architectural beauty lies in the gracefully open design of the above-ground floors, which face outward in an arched shape, allowing sunlight to filter through the curved aluminum louvers on floors 3 to 5. Other winners include D_734 (734 Samsung-ro) for Outstanding Awards and VINYL C Headquarters (32 Nonhyeon-ro142-gil) for Excellence Awards, among others.
The exhibition is divided into three themes: Gangnam's Past, Present, and Future. Visitors can explore the history of Gangnam through big data and infographics, interact with media content showcasing past award-winning works, take a 360-degree VR tour of this year's selected buildings, and even dream up their own architectural designs using an AI display. More details about the exhibition can be found on the official website at www.gbae.co.kr.
Mayor Cho Seong-myeong expressed, "Each of the selected buildings is a work of art, adding beauty to our cityscape and contributing to the growth of domestic architectural culture. I hope that these innovative and stunning structures that make Gangnam more charming will continue to receive ongoing attention from the public."