Hannam-Dong HANDS Corporation Headquarters

In a world where typical office buildings are designed to achieve maximum utility by arranging workspaces in the most practical ways possible, the psychology of people who spend over eight hours of their weekdays’ waking hours inside these buildings while doing physically- and mentally-straining activities are often overlooked. This thought encouraged this South Korean architectural studio to design an office space that combines utility and flexibility – by incorporating adjoining frontage balconies of irregularly arranged waves.

Designed by “THE_SYSTEM LAB,” the Hannam-Dong HANDS Corporation Headquarters is a small office building located along the 104 Hannam-daero. This is a boulevard that connects the Hannam bridge and Tunnel 2 – collectively recognized as among the most traffic-congested streets of Seoul, South Korea. In hopes of becoming a landmark of urban landscape amidst an otherwise typically sprawling urban fabric, the project creates a unique identity both for itself and the neighborhood it is surrounded with.

Its wave-like façade creates a front elevation that hides its three-dimensional form – cutting the usual unilateral dialogue between pedestrians, vehicles, and the office occupants. Instead, only the users of the project are allowed to look out. This provides a variety of viewing experiences on different viewing points while maintaining privacy inside the building.

Aside from viewing points, these balconies serve as a breath of fresh air for office occupants, functioning as small conversation spaces, private areas for phone conversations, and simply an accessible area for taking breaks. Eventually, these balconies ingrained within the city can significantly minimize the accumulated fatigue of its office occupants – all due to its decreased density of working spaces.

To achieve its void space filled with wave-like balconies, a dual structure system was utilized where the shell’s outer surface in itself was considered as the façade. This outer shell was made of concrete, molded by fabricated steel plate split molds which were filled section by section.

Systematic yet planned, the irregularity of its wave-like and repeating balconies ensured that the office’s multiple floors will be differentiated. The presence of these balconies also increased the building footprint since they worked as an extension of the office spaces.

Providing spanning views of the urban fabric for its office occupants while showcasing an eye-catching view of wave-like patterns for passers-by, the Hannam-Dong HANDS Corporation Headquarters offers a new identity that enhances the urban landscape of its vicinity. A complete work of architecture, the project was able to fulfill its purpose all the while contributing to the city and its people.