Sinsa-dong Mixed-Use Building by a round architects: Innovative Urban Design in Gangnam, Seoul

Architects: a round architects 

Located adjacent to the iconic Dosan Park in Seoul’s bustling Gangnam District, the Sinsa-dong Mixed-Use Building by a round architects represents a thoughtful response to dense urban living and commercial activity. Completed in 2021, this 469 m² project seamlessly combines community, commercial, and aesthetic considerations to enhance the urban fabric while respecting its narrow site constraints.

Context and Urban Integration

Gangnam, one of Seoul’s most dynamic districts, expanded rapidly during the 1960s, with wide streets and a grid-like urban layout. Over the decades, this area has seen increasing density, particularly along smaller, secondary streets. The Sinsa-dong site faces a narrow road, heavily trafficked by pedestrians and vehicles alike. Recognizing the challenges posed by this context, a round architects strategically designed the building to minimize its visual and spatial pressure on the street, creating a welcoming environment for both residents and visitors.

Architectural Concept and Design Approach

The architectural strategy centers on creating openness and flexibility despite the narrow street frontage. The building’s first-floor façade extensively uses glass, maximizing transparency and inviting natural light to permeate the interior. This design choice fosters a sense of openness and visual connection to the surrounding streetscape, encouraging pedestrian engagement.

To address the massing challenges, the building is horizontally segmented, with each volume floating above reflective glass surfaces. This approach not only reduces the perceived bulk along the narrow road but also allows daylight to penetrate deep into the interior spaces. Each floor’s segmented mass is uniquely proportioned, producing an intentionally ambiguous sense of scale that engages viewers from street level.

Materiality, Texture, and Façade Expression

The Sinsa-dong Mixed-Use Building employs subtle variations in color and texture across its different mass segments. This nuanced differentiation enriches the building’s overall elevation, providing depth and visual interest while reinforcing the horizontal segmentation strategy. Glass, reflectors, and carefully chosen materials work together to create dynamic light reflections, animating the façade throughout the day and contributing to the building’s urban presence.

Spatial Experience and Community Interaction

Inside, the thoughtful massing strategy ensures that natural light reaches every corner of the building. The combination of glass façades, floating volumes, and reflective elements generates a dynamic interior environment that balances openness and privacy. The design encourages community interaction on the ground level while providing functional commercial and residential spaces above. This integration of program and form positions the Sinsa-dong Mixed-Use Building as a model of contemporary mixed-use architecture in dense urban contexts.

The Sinsa-dong Mixed-Use Building by a round architects exemplifies sensitive, context-driven urban design. By blending transparency, thoughtful massing, and subtle material variation, the project enhances both the street-level experience and the quality of interior spaces. Its innovative approach demonstrates how mixed-use architecture can harmonize with dense urban settings while creating visually engaging, functional, and community-focused spaces.

All photographs are works of Choi Jinbo