An Architectural Direction

Some architecture is driven by extreme imagination. Living buildings, spaces that twist into themselves—any possibility is allowed. These are the projects often described as paper architecture. They resemble science fiction or fantasy novels.

Other architecture pursues an uncompromising reality: the layout of a 24-pyeong apartment, for instance. It searches for efficient arrangements and calculates commercial viability. In literary terms, it resembles realism.

The architecture I seek lies somewhere between the two. Somewhere between The Lord of the Rings and Anna Karenina; perhaps closer to Sherlock Holmes, the novels of Dan Brown, or those of Keigo Higashino. These stories create a sense of “what if?” An implausible element—one that might just be possible—enters a realistic setting and makes us wonder. Could Sherlock Holmes have been a real person? Could the Mona Lisa really conceal a secret?

Such possibilities emerge from an intensely convincing background and carefully constructed premises. The setting must faithfully reflect reality, while the fantastic element must operate consistently within a set of rules.

The architecture I seek works in the same way. Into a detailed, accurate analysis of reality, I introduce one “extraordinary” element. That exception is pursued with rigorous consistency. What if gravity did not exist, for example? The premise must be worked through thoroughly: its scientific consequences, the architectural changes it would bring, and the measures needed to respond to them.