Shinsegae Namsan Commercial & Offices by Robert A.M. Stern Architects

Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA), in collaboration with Haeahn Architecture, completed their first project in South Korea with the Shinsegae Namsan Commercial & Offices, a seven-story mixed-use building that balances corporate functionality with public cultural engagement. Located in the vibrant heart of Seoul at the western edge of Jangchungdan-ro, the building overlooks Namsan Mountain and serves as both a corporate training center for Shinsegae, one of South Korea’s leading retail companies, and a public cultural amenity for the city.

Spanning 200,000 square feet, Shinsegae Namsan integrates educational, training, and office spaces, while a publicly accessible ground floor hosts a flexible multipurpose venue for concerts, lectures, performances, and other events. RAMSA partner Gemma Kim emphasizes, “We’re exceptionally proud that our first building in Korea is not only for a company that is as renowned as Shinsegae but doubles as a cultural amenity for the people of Seoul.” This dual-purpose program became the driving force for the building’s design, prompting an architectural approach that harmonizes corporate needs, cultural engagement, and urban context.

Architectural Strategy and Design Approach

The design of Shinsegae Namsan responds to a graded and irregular site, carefully negotiating sun exposures, views, and neighboring structures. Composed of a series of curving geometries, the building articulates the public-private program while enhancing daylight penetration and panoramic views of the southwestern cityscape. At the street level, the architecture establishes a strong street wall along Jangchungdan-ro, while the upper floors recede in gentle setbacks, creating expansive terraces and rooftop gardens. These setbacks not only reduce the visual scale of the building but also provide outdoor amenities for occupants, including a landscaped fifth-floor rooftop garden designed by RAMSA.

The horseshoe-shaped atrium serves as the central organizing element of the building, bringing together multiple entrances, office wings, and public spaces. This grand atrium rises three stories and connects to various functional zones, establishing a central axis for circulation while also fostering visual connections between floors. Flanking the atrium are two public retail spaces that activate the ground plane and further blur the boundary between private corporate functions and public engagement.

Materiality and Façade Expression

One of the building’s most striking features is its monolithic, textured brick façade. The design employs a continuous pattern of recessed brickwork punctuated by brick screens set in front of glass windows. These hand-moulded bricks reflect a sense of craftsmanship and history, while subtly differentiating the building’s elevations and managing its scale within the urban context. RAMSA partner Dan Lobitz notes, “Shinsegae Namsan’s highly articulated, patterned brick façade is key to distinguishing its elevations, managing scale, and connecting with the local context.” The façade’s materiality serves as a bridge between RAMSA’s architectural expertise, honed through decades of masonry work in New York, and the cultural and urban traditions of Seoul.

The building’s massing is informed by the existing neighborhood context, with the central pavilion highlighted by rusticated limestone, enclosing the grand atrium. Curved setbacks create opportunities for sunlit terraces, provide visual relief, and emphasize a sense of approach and arrival along the graded site. These design decisions enhance both the public experience and the comfort of occupants by optimizing daylight and framing views toward Namsan Mountain.

Trinity Hall and Cultural Programming

A centerpiece of Shinsegae Namsan’s cultural program is Trinity Hall, a 471-seat multipurpose venue designed in collaboration with leading acousticians Nagata Acoustics. The hall is equipped to accommodate lectures, concerts, recitals, films, fashion shows, galas, and other cultural events, with a fully transformable seating system. Seats can recess into a cavity below the floor, creating a flat surface that allows for versatile configurations. Trinity Hall underscores RAMSA’s commitment to integrating high-performance cultural spaces into mixed-use commercial buildings, while ensuring the facility is adaptable to a variety of programming needs.

Integration of Public and Corporate Functions

Shinsegae Namsan exemplifies a thoughtful integration of corporate training facilities with public cultural amenities. Offices and training spaces are oriented to maximize natural light, views, and spatial comfort, while the public zones on the ground floor create an engaging interface with the city. Curving geometries, terraced setbacks, and carefully articulated façades unify the building’s dual program while providing flexible and inspiring spaces for both corporate and cultural users.

Conclusion

Shinsegae Namsan Commercial & Offices represents a milestone for RAMSA in South Korea, demonstrating the firm’s ability to blend functional corporate architecture with accessible public cultural facilities. By responding to the site’s topography, maximizing daylight and views, and employing a highly articulated brick façade, the project creates a distinctive urban presence. Trinity Hall, rooftop gardens, and public retail spaces enhance the building’s social, cultural, and environmental value, making it not only a hub for Shinsegae’s corporate operations but also a cultural amenity for the people of Seoul. Through careful integration of architecture, landscape, and program, Shinsegae Namsan exemplifies how contemporary corporate architecture can be both civic-minded and highly functional, setting a precedent for mixed-use developments in dense urban contexts.

Photography: Namsun Lee