Redefining skyline: Seoul honors open spaces, bold young visionaries

Korea’s crowded capital has long prioritized high-density construction and commercial efficiency, often creating rigid boundaries between public streets and private structures.

But this year, city planners and design critics are celebrating a decisive shift toward open, accessible civic spaces and speculative urban ideas.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday the winners of the 44th annual Seoul Architecture Award, bestowing top honors on buildings that dismantle traditional barriers to integrate seamlessly with surrounding neighborhoods.

Under the theme "Assembling Seoul: Discovering Seoul," the prestigious awards program recognized 20 project proposals and built works — including a newly introduced student category designed to elevate the next generation of Korean architectural talent.

Taking the Grand Prize in the completed works category was the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art (Seo SeMA) in Doksan-dong, designed by Chanjoong Kim of THE_SYSTEM LAB.

Celebrated by judges for its high-level craftsmanship, the museum was crafted without conventional thresholds, allowing ever ...