Seoul City Hall

Welcome to the administrative, symbolic, and emotional center of the South Korean capital. As you stand here upon the open expanse of Seoul Plaza, you are positioned at the very focal point of a metropolis that is home to ten…

As we step closer to the heavy, Renaissance-style stone exterior of the Old City Hall, we confront the complex and often painful chapters of modern Korean history. Constructed in the year nineteen twenty-six, during the dark and…

Having passed through the historic stone portal of the Old City Hall, you now find yourself standing within a space that has undergone a miraculous and deeply symbolic metamorphosis. What was once the stern, bureaucratic nerve…

Ascending to the upper reaches of the old building, we step out onto the fifth floor to discover an unexpected urban oasis known as Haneul Tteul, or the Sky Garden. This meticulously landscaped outdoor terrace rests atop the…

Leaving the elevated heights of the Sky Garden, we now descend into the subterranean depths of the City Hall complex. As we venture below ground level, we enter a realm defined by astonishing feats of modern engineering and the…

Emerging from the subterranean depths, we now stand back to take in the full, breathtaking exterior of the New City Hall. Rising thirteen stories above ground, this structure represents a radical departure from traditional…

As we pass through the main entrance of the New City Hall, we are immediately enveloped by the staggering scale of the Eco Plaza. You have stepped into a cavernous, seven-story-high indoor atrium that completely redefines the…

Remaining on the expansive ground floor of the New City Hall, we turn our attention to the immediate administrative spaces designed for public interaction. To your side is the Open Civil Service Room, a bustling hub where the…

Stepping out of the elevator onto the eighth floor, we enter a spatial realm that seemingly defies the laws of physics. We are now standing within the upper tier of the New City Hall, an area dominated by an immense architectural…

For our final major stop, we must descend deep into the newly excavated basement levels that connect the old and new buildings. You are now entering the Simincheong, which translates directly to the Citizens' Hall. …

We have reached the zenith of our journey, arriving at the Haneul Plaza, which beautifully translates to the 'Sky Plaza.' Occupying the highest accessible tiers of the building—the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors—this space represents…

As we exit the glass wave and return to the open expanse of Seoul Plaza where our journey began, let us take a moment to look back at the dual structures of the Seoul Metropolitan City Hall. The physical journey we have just…