minsuk cho 'does architecture' at seoul's samsung museum of art

minsuk cho ‘does architecture’ at seoul’s samsung museum of art
image © kyungsub shin
all images courtesy of plateau, samsung museum of art

before/after mass studies does architecture
plateau, samsung museum of art, seoul, korea
on now until february 1st, 2015

an exhibition presenting the work of korean architect minsuk cho, and his practice mass studies, has opened at seoul’s plateau, samsung museum of art. the display, entitled ‘before/after mass studies does architecture’, reexamines the role that the built environment plays in shaping the contemporary cultural terrain. through providing an exhaustive overview of cho’s work from the past 12 years, the exhibition offers a critical reflection on the status of the architectural discipline in korea, set within the context of the global arena.

installation view of the ‘after’ room’
image © kyungsub shin

while the work of mass studies acknowledges that architecture operates within the mechanisms of the market, it also proposes alternative solutions that encourage new interpretations of space, alongside programmatic transformations that consider different ways of living. consequently, the presented work takes on a new significance, set against the backdrop of a country where the construction industry has shrunk in proportion to the explosive growth of internet use.

‘before/after’ asserts that architecture is a process for producing not only buildings, but also sense and knowledge, highlighting the practice as a temporal and physical presence, rather than a crystallized set of complete structures. the exhibition remains open at plateau, samsung museum of art until february 1st, 2015.

the korean pavilion at the 2010 shanghai expo
image © kyungsub shin
see more of the project on designboom here