Inauguration of the New CEO at SAMOO

On December 16, 2021, SAMOO Architects & Engineers appointed vice president Sohn Chang-Kyu as the company’s new CEO. With this appointment as a springboard, SAMOO aims to strengthen its distinguished competitiveness in its core business while increasing its investment in new ventures and growth engines.Henceforth, SAMOO will continue to give the best service possible with the purpose of realizing the client’s values while also driving the digital transformation of the design industry in line with future changes. As a leading corporate in architectural culture, SAMOO will strive further to fulfill our social responsibilities.[Related Articles][e Daehan Economy, ‘SAMOO Appoints Vice President Sohn Chang-Kyu as the New CEO’][Edaily, ‘SAMOO Appoints Vice President Sohn Chang-Kyu as the New CEO’]

kakao Data Center, Winning the Top Prize of the BIM Awards 2021

kakao Data Center, designed by SAMOO Architects & Engineers, received the BuildingSMART Korea Chairman’s Award, which is the top prize of the BIM Awards 2021.[Awards summary]Hosted by: BuildingSMART Korea, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building TechnologySponsored by: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Archisoft, Trimble Solutions KoreaName of the Award: BuildingSMART Korea Chairman’s Award (First Prize) in the general categoryWinning Entry: kakao Data Center (enhancing expertise and productivity of data center design using BIM)

2021 SAMOO 45 Years Anniversary Celebration

In celebration of the 45th anniversary of our founding, various commemorations such as the founding ceremony, SAMOO Conference, and Design/Open Innovation Week were held from October 1 to 15 under the theme of “Meeting the Future in Advance.” Due to the pandemic circumstance, most events were held online in consideration of practicing social distancing, but, thanks to the great support and interest from both inside and outside the company, we were able to share the value of SAMOO’s vision, which is “Borderless Challenge, The Innovation Leader.” SAMOO will continue to actively practice the social responsibility of ESG activities through the design that transcends the scope of the architectural design industry, in addition to sharing expertise and information on realizing the value of new technology.SAMOO Conference2021.10. 1(FRI)13:00 - 17:00Click the link below to go to SAMOO TV Youtube Channel Live StreamingLink : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDuXDrmYuHZNqtdkBHas4AQAs an event initiated on the anniversary of the founding in 2019, this will be held as an open event where everyone can participate and share know-how and professional knowledge of SAMOO. Design Innovation Week2021.10. 1(FRI) - 2021.10.15(FRI)Click the link below to go to Gangdong East Central Tower 20th floor, Reception & SPATIALLink : https://app.spatial.io/rooms/61443bdef7b9610001ca914c?share=5610123416273882628Sharing of the changes in the design environment triggered by the development of technology through the juxtaposed worlds of contact and contactless. Open Innovation Week2021.10. 1(FRI) - 2021.10.15(FRI)Gangdong East Central Tower 20th floor, ReceptionA place to internally and externally share the activities of Open Innovation, which blur the boundaries between industries and move forward to the future’s innovation through exchange and collaboration 

Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 Expansion

SAMOO and Incheon International AirportSince its opening in 2001, Incheon International Airport has continued to make development in the field of air transportation including airport operations, services, and cargo, establishing itself as a gateway to Korea and a center of air transportation in Northeast Asia.SAMOO has been continuously participating in the Incheon Airport Construction Project by carrying out projects such as the Incheon Airport Complex Transportation Center, the 1st Passenger Terminal Facility Improvement Project, and the 2nd Passenger Terminal Construction Project Management Service. Incheon International AirportPhase 4 Construction ProjectCurrently, Incheon International Airport is implementing a phase 4 construction project to meet future air transport demand to take a step ahead in competing with other airports.Incheon International Airport will leap forward to becoming a first-class mega-hub airport that can handle 600,000 flights a year, 16 million passenger capacity, and 6.3 million tons of cargo a year by completing phase 4 by 2024.Terminal 2 expansion is the most significant part of the phase 4 construction. Through an increase of 34.7 million square meters of facility area, it will consist of a total of 73.5 million square meters, 71 boarding gates, and a capacity of 52 million passengers per year.Incheon International Airport Phase 4In 2017, SAMOO Consortium, which is a partnership of SAMOO, NOW, JUNGLIM, and Gansam Architects' offices, was selected as the architect of the expansion project of Terminal 2.We completed the design service within about 47 months, from August 2017 to May 2021.The design goal of the Terminal 2 Expansion Project is to create a new landmark of Incheon Airport through a distinctive terminal concept, provide various experiences to passengers, and complete an eco-friendly terminal with the latest ICT technology. A Unique LandmarkThe second passenger terminal, which initially opened in 2018, will be completed through phase 4 construction.The main focus of the design is to succeed the design concept of phase 3 and create a new landmark for phase 4 while forming a sense of harmony and unity with the existing building.While maintaining the existing building, the overlapping of the new layers ranging from the check-in hall to the north wing will become a new landmark at Incheon Airport, forming the unique shape of phase 4.The continuous layout of the modularized roof creates a sense of rhythm, staging a new entrance view for passengers visiting the terminal.In addition, energy use will be reduced by the natural lighting provided through the north-facing clerestory, which will also allow passengers to experience the open scenery in the sky on their way to the boarding zone.Floating in the CloudsThe design concept of the interior space of Terminal 2 is the view of the sky that captures the excitement of the trip.It offers a variety of impressions and experiences to passengers who are leaving for a new destination by staging the space in a way as if they are walking under the clouds.With the design motif of a smooth white-toned curve, the scenery of the sky is placed throughout the space, making passengers who visit Incheon International Airport feel excited about the trip. In addition, various artworks such as kinetic sculpture, multi-media, and media-wall are provided to interact with passengers, building up their expectations for the trip.At the end of the North Wing, outdoor courtyards are presented in Incheon International Airport for the first time.To accommodate various programs, a traditional garden is designed on the east side and a modern sculpture park on the west side, providing new experiences to passengers waiting for boarding or transferring through Incheon Airport.Also, the space for the arrivals is colorfully composed. There are arrival corridors consisting of dynamic space full of five senses, and baggage reclaim halls with various artworks. Those are planned to relieve the fatigue of travel and provide dynamic first impressions of Korea.In the welcome hall, various media contents are provided as well as flight departure information through a large media facade, and lighting art is installed to create an emotional space.New-TechnologyTo create a state-of-the-art, first-class airport that leads the future airport industry, we rigorously reviewed and applied new technologies leading the times.To improve passenger convenience and safety, self-check-in and backdrop areas are created to encourage self-service, and advanced CT security search equipment and self-boarding gates are introduced.In addition, various AI robots such as autonomous driving robots, quarantine robots, and baggage transport robots are placed in the correct positions to provide future smart airport services to passengers.New-NormalIn line with the changing times, we have set new standards for airport planning, reflecting various needs.By installing remote boarding bridges minimizing the effects of the climate, passengers using bus gates can board the plane more conveniently and comfortably without going up and downstairs.As a specialized space inside the terminal, there are high-quality rest facilities and family toilets where you can see the runway. These are provided to improve the quality and convenience of the trip.Also, there are support facilities such as negative pressure rooms and special quarantine waiting areas to operate a thorough K-prevention system in special situations such as the pandemic.In order to improve the welfare of airport workers, the staff convenience facilities are located in the center of the second floor, and separate rest areas are provided in the airside area, improving the safety of airport operation and reflecting social issues such as ESG management.Full-BIMThe large facilities with a total floor area of 73.5 million square meters were drawn, designed, and planned in Full-BIM, which is an Integrated model including the airport-specific facilities such as BHS and mobile boarding bridges. Also, various programs, such as CATIA, were used to deliver a free-form design.By using this Full-BIM, the agenda was to integrate and organize the design of each field, such as structure, mechanics, and electricity.Real-time collaboration through Full-BIM minimized errors caused by interference between each field and improved the consistency of drawings.In addition, we actively utilized the Full-BIM model in various fields such as simulation and video production, introducing digital convergence technology in the field of architectural design.SAMOO & AIRPORTAlong with the history of Incheon Airport, SAMOO has enhanced its capabilities as a global professional designer based on various experiences and performances from the planning to operation stages in the field of airport design.Through participation in Myanmar's Hanthawaddy International Airport BOT, Yangon International Airport BOT, and Russia's Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk International Airport F/S project, we performed the role as a consultant in the airport project planning stage through reviewing air demand and establishing optimal development strategies and master plan.In addition, for the Puerto Princessa Airport project in the Philippines, we carried out the entire project from the initial bidding stage of the EPC TK project to the completion.Now, through the experience of designing the Incheon Airport Terminal 2 expansion project, SAMOO has raised its position as an architectural design partner that provides optimal professional services to various platforms in the aviation industry.

SAMOO Vietnam Representative Office

Over the past 30 years, there has been remarkable development in Vietnam. Economic and political reforms under Doi Moi, launched in 1986, have spurred rapid economic growth, transforming Vietnam into one of the fastest-growing countries.Over the past decade, ever since SAMOO expanded its business into Vietnam in 2010, we have established an important position within the local architectural market while experiencing Vietnam's great economic growth and development.Such an experience helps understand unique regional circumstances and customs as well as reflecting on client needs. Until now, SAMOO’s global expertise has been executed on the large-scale masterplan, high-end residential, and high-tech factory facilities in Vietnam. Ultimately, its range will expand to much more diverse fields of expertise such as medical facilities, airport terminals, and data centers, which are prospected to become highly demanded in the post-pandemic era.ProjectsOver the past decade, SAMOO has carried out many projects of various building usage in Vietnam. We have contributed to the prosperous business of our clients by completing numerous high-tech factory projects for the production of mobiles, display panels, and batteries in the Industrial Zone in the northern region near Hanoi.Upon entering the Vietnamese market, SAMOO designed two apartment buildings of Keangnam Landmark Tower, the best mixed-use building in Hanoi, to showcase advanced residential solutions in Vietnam.After winning design competitions, we are currently showing exceptional performance in carrying out a 5-star hotel project in the center of StarLake New City in Hanoi. Based on SAMOO's outstanding technology and performance in designing healthcare facilities, we are leading the design of Hanoi Cancer Hospital, contributing to the development of Vietnam's medical environment.< Hanoi THT Hotel >< Hanoi Cancer HospitalL >Contact Info:jay.w.kim@samoo.combusiness_samoo@samoo.com

SAMOO(KL). SDN. BHD.

Southeast Asia is one of the distinctive emerging markets for architectural services. SAMOO has been undertaking diverse projects in this area for the last decade.As an Independent Architectural Consultant of Malaysia, SAMOO KL Sdn Bhd has been a well-established contributor to Kuala Lumpur since 2018.This would benefit in understanding unique regional circumstances and customs as well as reflecting on client needs. Until now, SAMOO’s global expertise has been executed on large-scale Masterplan, High-end condominium, Retail, and Mixed-use facilities in Malaysia. Ultimately, its range will expand to much more diverse expertise fields such as Medical facilities, Airport terminals, Data centers, and High-rise towers, which are expected to become highly demanded in the post-pandemic era.Through communication with both our Clients & SAMOO Headquarters, SAMOO KL Office acts as a bridge and Marketing Office to bring everyone into one team.ProjectsFor the past five years, SAMOO has carried out many local projects. The residential tower 5, also known as South Brook, was the first project in Malaysia. Located 15km northwest of the KL city center, the project is comprised of two residential towers on top of a parking podium. After the successful completion of the first project with full satisfaction from the client, SAMOO has made additional contributions to the region’s residential projects.< Residential 2 >< Residential 5 >< Putrajaya Residence Tower1 >< Kuching residence >At the same time, SAMOO was also invited to undertake diverse projects such as a hotel, shopping mall, and MICC from top-tier Malaysian developers and participated with a carefully designed proposal for each project.< shopping center-selangor >< MICC-Melekka >< Hotel-KL >Design ManagementDesign management is one of the key factors in delivering the project successfully. To secure the original design intent, endless coordination on the design and construction issues needs to take place on-site. SAMOO KL has performed two major DM services in Malaysia including the PNB 118 & Sapura HQ.Mega constructions such as PNB 118 and Sapura HQ required large quantities of drawings and documents, which needed careful coordination and technical solutions. To prevent and mitigate schedule delays, SAMOO KL provided DM service as below;- Design Schedule Management- Peer review / Shop drawing review- Design coordination / BIM coordination- Deliverable review / Design meeting- Value Engineering- Design Modification & Variation Order Management< PNB 118 - Fender Katsalidis / RSP >< Sapura HQ - Arquitectonica / GDP >Contact Info:samookl@samoo.combusiness_samoo@samoo.com

Gaepo Jugong Complex 6,7th Apartment, Housing Reconstruction

WinnerGaepo Jugong Complex 6,7th Apartment, Housing Reconstruction[ Design Summary ]Project : Gaepo Jugong Complex 6,7th Apartment, Housing ReconstructionUsage : Housing FacilitiesLocation : 516, Gaepo-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of KoreaGFA : 510,997.65 m²Floors : 34F / B4  

Winning iF DESIGN AWARD 2021 Seoul Botanic

Seoul Botanic Park received Germany’s iF DESIGN AWARD in 2021‘Seoul Botanic Park’, undertaken by SAMOO Architects & Engineers and THE_SYSTEM LAB, was selected as the winner of the main prize in the public architecture category of the iF DESIGN AWARD, one of the world’s three major awards. Located in Hanover, the International Forum Design is the longest-running independent design institution in the world. Since 1953, it has been honoring the iF DESIGN AWARD to the best design every year. The ‘Seoul Botanic Park’ is the first urban botanic garden in Seoul where people can enjoy vegetation as a type of culture in urban life. Adopting a concave plate embracing nature as a design motif, the project materialized a shape of a plant cell, and it was eventually selected as the winner at the award, highly praised by the judging committee composed of 98 experts from all over the world. In particular, more than 10,000 entries - the largest number of entries in history - from 52 countries held an intense competition.About the iF DESIGN AWARDFor 68 years, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been recognized as an arbiter of quality for exceptional design. The iF label is renowned worldwide for outstanding design services, and the iF DESIGN AWARD is one of the most important design prizes in the world. Submissions are awarded in the following disciplines: Product, Packaging, Communication and Service Design/UX, Architecture and Interior Architecture as well as Professional Concept. All awarded entries are featured on the iF WORLD DESIGN GUIDE, in the iF design app and are displayed at the iF design exhibition Hamburg. [Link to Seoul Botanic Park]   

SAMOO Creates 'SAMOO TV 'Channel in Youtube

SAMOO Creates 'SAMOO TV' Channel in Youtube In line with the recent media trends that are rapidly changing, SAMOO has expanded and reorganized the company’s YouTube channel last year and tightened communication with customers. In particular, we have planned this year as the first year to introduce ESG(Environmental, Social and Governance) management, and we also have prepared the opening of the YouTube channel specializing in architectural content, in order to commit ourselves to practice the corporate’s social role, which is one of the three central factors of ESG. Through the newly launched 「SAMOO TV」, SAMOO aims to provide useful information that can be immediately available for students majoring in architecture and young architects who have just begun their practice. We will continue to promote educational-oriented social contribution activities and win-win activities to foster future generations.Also, as a specialized channel to provide a ‘place to communicate with the world through architecture’ that is differentiated from the existing channel for the corporate’s public relations, 「SAMOO TV」 would like to lead the popularization of architectural culture by imparting various content such as architecture, cities, engineering, and future technology. In the corresponding channel, not only architects at SAMOO but also many experts from various fields will make an appearance. In addition, new and interesting content will be provided every week through regular programs such as ‘Works Behind’, ‘SAMOO JeonSeol’, and ‘SAMOO Inside’.‘Works Behind’ is a program that tells the real story of the architectural design industry. Here, architects who participated in certain projects come out to introduce those projects. They also talk about the construction process and their recollection of solving problems through collective intelligence.In ‘SAMOO JeonSeol’, which stands for ‘hearing the stories of SAMOO’s experts who are top-rated in Korea’, the cast members anticipate overall market trends in architecture and real estate industry. They not only discuss the basic topics such as design theory, BIM, and sustainable design that have been generally covered, but also aim to explain newly emerging keywords such as smart city, big data, and AI solution, more lucidly, in terms of architecture.In ‘SAMOO Inside’, which introduces various members of SAMOO through an interview format, it not only introduces SAMOO’s unique and resilient organizational culture, but also allows the general public to indirectly experience the world of professionals. It will also be used as an opportunity for students as future architects, who are currently majoring in architecture, to receive career counseling from senior employees.Especially, in celebration of the 45th anniversary of our founding, SAMOO revised the CI and established the following slogan ？ “VISION 2025 : Borderless Challenge, The Leader of Future Innovation in A&E”. Under the new vision, SAMOO is committed to fulfill its role as a leading company in Korea and implement new values by connecting design and technology beyond the scope and limit of the current architectural design industry.  Click to Watch the 'SAMOO TV' →   

Opening of ‘The Hyundai Seoul’, the new Parc.1 retail facility designed by SAMOO

Opening of ‘The Hyundai Seoul’, the new Parc.1 retail facility designed by SAMOO‘The Hyundai Seoul’, which opened on February 26 with great fanfare as the biggest department store in Seoul, is a retail facility of Parc.1 It was a part of a mixed-use megaproject, in which SAMOO Architects & Engineers (CEO Do Kwon Park, hereinafter SAMOO) collaborated with world-renowned architect Richard Rogers since 2003 for 15 years, from the preliminary design phase to the construction document phase. The retail facility at Parc.1 was initially planned as a general shopping mall, but its program was switched to a single-brand mega department store as Hyundai Department Store was decided to be opened. Rather than making a small change in design, this required a complete redesign of the previous design. Also, to accomplish this task within a short period, a new method of approach was needed to be developed. In the end, SAMOO made the best use of the spatial characteristics of the previous design for a shopping mall, and also realized a spatial design that is differentiated from existing department stores, through the use of spatial composition and circulation plan that meet the requirements of the tenant (Hyundai Department Store) and the client. In particular, the design intended to diverge from having a closed atmosphere - a condition that most of the existing department stores have - by having an atrium that is vertically open from the first floor to the roof and allowing natural sunlight to stream into the interior space through the gigantic skylights installed at the three roof structures that are reminiscent of a shield kite. Also, most of the floors on the sixth, seventh and eighth floors are left open, so that a 20m-high indoor resting park can be designed on the fifth floor, allowing visitors to experience a cozy sense of space that cannot be found in other retail facilities.  By utilizing differentiated spatial design and the latest design techniques, SAMOO has truly established itself as the leader in designing retail facilities in Korea. Especially, celebrating the 45th anniversary of its founding, SAMOO has newly revised the CI and established VISION 2025. Based on the slogan “Borderless Challenge, The Leader of Future Innovation in Architecture & Engineering”, SAMOO aims to implement new values by connecting design and technology beyond the scope and limit of the current architectural design industry.[Interior Picture Credit: Hyundai Department Store] [Design Summary]Project : Parc.1 Retail (The Hyundai Seoul)Usage : Commercial (Department Store)Location : 108, Yeoui-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, SeoulGFA : 193,854m²Floors : 8F / B7  [Related Articles][e대한경제, '삼우건축 설계 '더 현대서울 개장 주목'][이데일리, '창립 45주년 삼우설계. 더현대서울 설계 눈길']