The System Lab

After completing his undergraduate degree in architectural engineering in South Korea, Chanjoong Kim completed a master’s degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He founded The System Lab in 2012, based in Bundang, on the outskirts of Seoul. Rather than solely drawing on architectural work, the firm is open to influences and inspiration from other sectors and disciplines. The practice’s spectrum of projects includes the reimagining of the Hyundai Museum of Kids Books & Art, the country’s first book-themed children’s museum, Paul Smith’s flagship store in Seoul, and the concrete-clad and curvaceous multi-generational residential project Bojeong Dong House.
www.thesystemlab.com
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).
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The System Lab founder Chanjoong Kim on style and evolution
The Wallpaper* Architects Directory has turned 20. Conceived in 2000 as our index of emerging architectural talent, this annual listing of promising practices, has, over the years, spanned styles and continents; yet always championing the best and most exciting young studios and showcasing inspiring work with an emphasis on the residential realm. To mark the occasion, this summer, we’re looking back at some of our over-500 alumni, to catch up about life and work since their participation and exclusively launch some of their latest completions. South Korean Architects Directory alumnus The System Lab has gone from strength to strength since its 2016 inclusion, with work expanding from private homes to masterplanning, housing and impressive commercial work. Here, we speak to founder Chanjoong Kim to explore the studio's evolution and latest work.
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