The One Site and Four Scenarios explores the resolution of the site before the Sewoon Arcade. The imagination expands your curiosity into the past Eulji-ro without a megastructure in sight.

Four viewpoints at the stair along the pedestrian pathway each represent different degrees of resolution. The first viewpoint casts a narrow alley of Eulji-ro. The second frames modern architecture such as Jongno Tower and 3.1 Building. The third contains Jongmyo of the Joseon Dynasty. Lastly, the fourth guides the viewer towards a crane at construction site.

The varying resolution can be placed in a chronological order: Jongmyo, alleys, modern architecture, and tower crane. Should a higher resolution of urban elements be regarded superior as we grade a TV?

The One Site and Four Scenarios explores the resolution of the site before the Sewoon Arcade. The imagination expands your curiosity into the past Eulji-ro without a megastructure in sight.

In an unexpected space along the entrance way to the mock-up building, one’s anticipation caused by the substantial concrete structure and the seeming elevator is unfamiliarly subverted. This leads to the subversion of the fixed conception of spaces and things and thereby bestows an intriguing significance upon the mock-up. Visitors are welcomed by two elevator openings at the lobby. Instinctively they enter one of the openings and encounter unexpected loop of stairs going up and down leading to the other opening. Such a nonsensical moment elevates the meaning of the whole experience and the definition of mock-up, which is a fake building. The steel stair structure is enclosed by PVC mesh of orance color which makes link to the safety fence at construction site of the real building.

“Between Life & Death” is a matter of existence and perception;

“SELF-NESS” vs. “SELFLESS-NESS”

PERCEPTUAL TRANSITION provides the sequential experience as visitors meander along the landscape path. As visitors stroll along the path, they encounter a moment where transition of perspective happens.

A row of reflective triangular columns with spacing in between creates a visual layer and exchange that allows one to reflect himself as well as other surroundings. At the transition point, a new layer representing death merges and overlays onto the existing layer of life. The new array of columns now only shows the surroundings, the world without you. One experiences a seamless and a momentary transition from life to death. Between life and death is only a breath apart, only a step apart. Life goes on for those living without a pause.

Columns along the layer of life have three-sided stainless steel BA finish for full reflection. Whereas, those along the layer of death have partial plywood finish on the frontal face and the others are reflective surfaces. When two rows are merged, angled reflective surfaces create layered images of only the other side not yourself.

Publicness can be aroused by participation. Street furniture is generally stationed with defined use. “Plug-in Bench” questions the fixed use of the furniture, and allows the public to engage actively and re-configure the provided form of furniture by plugging in modules of planes.

The form of “Plug-in Bench” is a stack of ½”-thick plywood sheets with 1” gap in-between. The furniture is consisted of four sculptural figures, part of which is already designed as seating surface. The public engagement comes in from using 1”-thick plywood pieces to create single or multiple seating surface, table, and bar. The plywood piece can be inserted into any slot between the stack of plywood. User can configure by using different dimensions of plywood planes or inserting at different height.

The assembly requires three main components; plywood sheet, threaded steel rods, and nuts and washers. The vertical steel rods with welded base plate will hold the plywood in place, and the set of nut and washer components will maintain the 1” spacing. The expected total budget for the project will be $513 as listed below.

Depending on the time of use, “Plug-in Bench” could offer a sculptural public art when not in use, outdoor bench/table in use, or street light fixture at night. Functional variety as well as flexibility in its use will motivate the public to engage more actively with the piece and enliven the streetscape.

“Harlem Celebration” engages into the context of the sliver site shadowed by 4-story and 6-story adjacent buildings. Except during the day with southern sun, the site casted by the shadow feels very heavy and suppressed. The anti-gravity nature of balloons, especially in red color, alleviates the darkness and heaviness of the site. The parabolic trajectory consisted of 22 giant balloons addresses the speed and dynamic movement within the site.

Each balloon is anchored by three points; one common point and two points of each side. This creates a parabolic trajectory in longitudinal view, but gives a freedom to shift its position in side way.