W-Mission stands as one of South Korea’s premier textile manufacturers. Their new headquarters is situated in Seoul’s Seongdong district, an area renowned for its historic red brick shoe factories. This revitalized neighborhood has evolved into a thriving hub for art, culture, and design in the capital.
The design of the headquarters is founded on three core existential themes that embody the client’s spirit: sanctity, shelter, and community. Inspiration is drawn from the waves of the founder’s birthplace and the textile materials’ qualities—lightness, woven textures, undulating forms, as well as elements of wrapping and revealing. Architecturally, the project emphasizes spirituality, notably through the inversion of the traditional Gothic high-arched interior facade, transferring it outward onto the city street.
During the design of the Textile Association’s administrative building, replicating curtains through stone carvings presented an intriguing paradox. In this project, traditional brick masonry offers remarkable flexibility, allowing the creation of curved forms. Brick structures have a rich history in Seoul, and here, a literal “curtain wall” system is implemented, where bricks are affixed to an onsite poured concrete wall that guides the curvature. Using digital computational tools, a straightforward algorithm was developed to achieve the desired wave effect, ascending skyward. Over 520 brick layers, one additional brick is added every 24 layers to shape the curve. The wave’s amplitude grows from zero at the third level to 170 centimeters along the roofline.
The building is divided into three functional zones:
- Community Zone: Facing the street, this area includes the WM Cafe and Garden, W-Mission College, workshops, and exhibition spaces. A three-story atrium connects these public spaces.
- Office Zone: Located above the public areas, this four-story open office houses the headquarters on the top three floors, featuring offices, workshops, and gathering spaces. A double-layered, elevated space, inspired by basilica nave architecture, brings in natural light and fosters a spiritual, meditative atmosphere.
- Courtyards: Each zone offers semi-outdoor, double-height courtyards. Together, the building forms a vertical community with spacious outdoor terraces and staggered yet interconnected internal courtyards that open towards the sky, enhancing the communal experience.
The building’s wavy facade forms a distinctive urban backdrop on the street leading west to Seoul Forest Park. This facade accommodates service areas and vertical circulation. On the east side, outdoor gardens and terraces offer expansive views of the Han River and the city’s eastern districts. The north facade features randomly distributed openings in three distinct types, tailored to the functional requirements of the interior spaces.
Project Drawings
△ General layout plan
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
△ Fourth floor plan
△ Plan of the 5th to 7th floors
△ Eighth floor plan
△ Ninth floor plan
△ Tenth floor plan
△ Roof plan
△ Axonometric diagram
△ Elevation drawing
△ Elevation drawing
△ Elevation drawing
△ Section diagram
△ Section diagram
△ Detailed structural drawing
△ Detailed structural drawing
Project Information
Architect: Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten
Area: 9,483 m²
Project Year: 2024
Photographer: Yu Chen Chao Photography
Manufacturers: Bulthaup, Toto, Vola, Panoramah!®
Lead Architect: Yu Han Michael Lin
Design Team: Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten, Chen Yu Tang, María Eugenia Carrizosa, Rodrigo Reverte
Furniture Design: Joh Yun Seok
Acrylic Artist: Rahee Yoon
Lighting Design: Fuse Inc
Air Conditioning Engineer: Sahmwon Mechanical Engineering Co., Ltd
Electrical Piping Engineering: Smtec & Dongnam Mec
Structural Engineer: Eun Structural Engineering Co., Ltd
Landscape Design: Landscape Design Studio KnL
Graphic Design: MYKC Studio
Construction: Janghak Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.
Interior Designer: BCHO Architects, Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten
Local Designers: HNSA Architects and Designers
Location: Seongdong District, Seoul, South Korea
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