KOLON ONE&ONLY TOWER

_hyogeun_

Do not be deceived by appearances" - Kolon One & Only Tower. As buildings become denser in cities, only the facades facing the streets are prominently visible. Unlike in our country, where most buildings are built with their backs to each other, buildings, especially in Western cities, tend to be read as a sequence of facades. This means that the front of a building plays a crucial role in determining the first impression of the architecture. Facade design has evolved to include curtain walls, double skins, louvers, etc. These are not only intended to prevent air pollution, control the amount of light entering, and reduce the building's temperature through convection but also to give buildings their identity. This building is a research and development facility for Kolon. Kolon operates in a variety of fields from textiles, chemicals, sustainable technologies to the sports and ready-to-wear fashion markets. Among these, the research and development process, which includes studying materials and exploring possibilities before production, is an asset to the company, implying that it contains information that should not be disclosed to the public. Therefore, except for the lobby, it is not accessible to the general public. When Seoul planned to develop the Magok district as a new city, it aimed to preserve the natural ecosystem along with concentrating corporate research, technology, and light industry to create new cross-markets. Under such objectives, Kolon's R&D facility in the Magok district had to be a model for the buildings to come, showcasing its identity through the facade while restricting public access. The main entrance's facade, designed to regulate the amount of light, carries a symbolic meaning along with its functional aspect. Kolon, easily recognized in the fashion field, and 'Kolon Sport', known for enhancing product performance with unique fabrics, have constructed the facade with a textile weaving pattern using their developed fabrics to increase durability. As a result, the interior benefits from natural lighting and wind, leaving outsiders in awe of Kolon's technological prowess. However, the emphasis on facade as a critical design strategy comes with downsides. Interest in architecture often focuses solely on the external aspects, neglecting the actual spaces. Fortunately, Kolon One & Only Tower is an exception. As the building's lobby represents the entire space, it showcases the significant attention paid to both exterior and interior spaces, distinguishing it from other buildings obsessed only with facades. Photos of the building's exterior posted on Instagram often instill a fantasy about architecture, leading the general public and architecture students to mistakenly focus solely on exterior design. However, what truly matters is the space it encompasses, hoping more people will concentrate on such 'spaces'. Architecture: Morphosis (@morphosisarchitects) + Haeahn Architecture (@haeahn_architecture) Photo, Text: Hyogeun Shin (@_hyogeun_) #A_Space_That_Provides_A_Good_Experience Seoul, Gangseo-gu, Magokdong-ro 110