Architect: RAMSALocation: Seoul Completion Date: 2024Brought to you by: A new facility for retail giant Shinsegae marks the first completed project in South Korea for Robert A. M. Stern Architects (RAMSA). Located in the heart of Seoul, the new building serves as a training center for the corporations employees and also features office space, ground floor retail, and a large auditorium. The structure’s exterior is wrapped in complex brick bond patterns and complementary limestone details—materials that appeased the client’s fondness for masonry. Named Shinsegae Namsan for its unobstructed views of Namsan Mountain—a major landmark in Seoul—the building is perched atop a hilly site along the Jangchungdan-ro, a major urban thoroughfare. From the street-level, the site rises almost 60 feet before abruptly curving to the south. For this reason, Shinsegae Namsan possesses a unique L-shaped plan. Perched on a hillside, Shinsegae Namsan towers over neighboring buildings. (Namsun Lee) “The geometry of the site is very irregular,” said Daniel Lobitz, partner at RAMSA. “And in Korea, exposures are extremely important considerations. We were managing a really prime view to the Southwest of the Namsan Mountain, and so there’s a major orientation of some of the spaces in that direction. We devised this composition of interlocking curvilinear forms that are oriented in different directions,” he added. Shinsegae Namsan’s ground floor was envisioned as a place for social gathering and cultural events. Upon entering, visitors pass through a half-circular lobby atrium and pre-function space before entering a multi-purpose auditorium. Designed for flexible programming, the rake of the venue’s seating can be adjusted to accommodate lectures, concerts, weddings, and more. Office and conference space was placed on the floors above, which benefit from views of the surrounding city and a network of rooftop gardens carved into the building mass. The rake of the venue’s seating can be adjusted to accommodate different types of events. (Namsun Lee) Shinsegae Group was initially drawn to RAMSA’s luxury residential work in New York City, particularly the firm’s use of masonry. After winning a competition for the commission, RAMSA designed studies of the building using both brick and limestone exteriors. Ultimately, the client settled on a primarily brick envelope with subtle limestone accents. Though many different bond patterns occur across the facade, the building is dominated by an arrangement featuring recessed bricks that add shadow and depth to the exterior. “We studied a lot of traditional bond types, and took inspiration from the Flemish bond, which is just a standard brick with the header next to it,” shared Gemma Kim, partner at RAMSA. “But we doubled the pattern and recessed the headers to increase the scale and make the pattern legible.” This pattern is also expressed as a screen around Shinsegae Namsan’s windows, which are set in 18 inches from the facade. RAMSA carefully studied the depth of the recessed brick header to create the appropriate amount of shadow. (Namsun Lee) On the roof, RAMSA designed a porous brick screen to conceal the building’s mechanical systems. Required to keep the screen more than 50 percent open, the bricks are structurally supported by stainless steel rods that are threaded through each module. Another unique pattern occurs along the fourth floor. To fit the curvature of the floorplate, which was more extreme at the lower levels, a fluted pattern of soldier course modules was implemented. Though a hand-molded pink and gray brick from the United States was ultimately specified for Shinsegae Namsan, RAMSA considered a truly global list of brick suppliers, working closely with the client to choose the proper mix and color. A fluted solider course pattern was applied to the fourth floor elevations. (Namsun Lee) In the United States, such enormous expenditure on a largely non-commercial building might seem out of reach for most retailers, who have struggled since the pandemic. However, according to Lobitz, this is not the case in South Korea. “Shinsegae has some of the largest department stores in the world,” he said. “This kind of brick and mortar retail is still very vibrant in Seoul, much more so than in the United States.” What is rare in South Korea is the presence of a robust masonry industry, which has been in decline since the 20th century. This lack of local expertise and support makes RAMSA’s hand-laid brick facade for Shinsegae Namsan all the more impressive. Project Specifications Design Architect: RAMSA Architect of Record: Haeahn Architecture Landscape Architect: RAMSA Interior Design: Pierre-Yves Rochon Structural Engineering: Thornton Tomasetti Lighting Design: Buro Happold AV/Acoustics: Nagata Acoustics Theater Consultant: Fisher Dachs Associates Exterior Envelope Consultant: Simpson Gumpertz & Herger General Contractor: Shinsegae E&C Glazing Contractor: LX Glas, Panoramah! Mason: Hapduck Brick: Belden Tri-State Limestone: SN Sogepierre Glazing: LXGlas, Panoramah!