I took this small video last Monday, under a bright sun in Gyeonghuigung, downtown Seoul, from the playground right behind the palace :
Unfortunately, the soundtrack is provided by Haemil, the green glass building coming right after the palace in this amateur 360 panorama (then there's an old villa, Space Bon in the background, and we're back to the woods on the hill separating Sajik-dong from Gyonam-dong).
Chung Mong-joon's think tank recently moved into their new headquarters and as you can hear, the big air-con blocks that spoiled our game* are working fine. As you can see, they eventually decided not to replace the wall, completing the "illusion" that they own the place... to the risk of causing incidents : particularily with this snow, visitors to the palace cannot see the deep gap in front of them (what to say about kids playing nearby...).
Anyway, nothing could ruin this beautiful day, nor the magic of Seoul under the snow. Sounds carry differently too. Yesterday morning, I heard the rooster from my window.
Seoul Village 2010
* see "Haemil construction, continued (game interrupted)"
NB: from now on we'll refer to the building as the ASAN Institute HQ instead of Haemil HQ. The AIPS / ASAN Institute for Policy Studies was named after Chung Ju-yung's nickname and hometown (Mr Chung's father founded the Hyundai Group).
Showing posts with label Haemil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Haemil. Show all posts
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Friday, November 27, 2009
Haemil construction, continued (game interrupted)
Today, I visited Mr Chung Mong-joon's new parking lot. Except it was not a parking lot but a public park where people use to jog, play, enjoy the view on the Gyeonghuigung Palace, and breathe fresh air from the woods. Particularly on week-ends.
On previous saturdays, we sometimes had a tough time breathing : toxic exhausts from his future think tank headquarter's working site* invaded the whole area, irritating our eyes and throats, and I seriously worried about the life expectancy of people manipulating this stuff (definitely too aggressive to be just paint), all day long, and without any special protection.
This morning, we had to wait for over one hour to play, and our game was suddenly interrupted when the huge crane folded, using the dead center of the sports field in the process.
Beyond the crane, which itself covered well over 100 square meters, the central field was also dotted with one big truck and two smaller ones, plus at least two personal cars which had nothing to do up here. At one moment, an old man passed by, jotting down on his notebook one or two license plate numbers. Long after he departed, a small water truck joined the party, but was kind enough to park off the field : after all, we had decided to play on the remaining third of the field without waiting for about 30 huge air con systems to be lifted from the ground to the working site... trying not to think about what would happen if one of these blocks fell down on us.
When we thought we would recover the left third of the field, another personal car arrived and made sure the right wing shrunk even more. And when the trucks cleared the area, the crane stopped the game.
Before deciding to play in spite of this mechanical ballet, we had plenty of time to admire the soon to be completed building. As we saw before, it could be an interesting landmark under less controvertial circumstances. Who knows ? After his election, Chung may decide to offer the site to the city, exposing his personal art collection or presidential library...
Last week, workers removed the old and ugly concrete wall separating Haemil grounds from royal grounds, and I hope they will make something nice, more respectful of the surroundings. They wouldn't dare leaving it like that, out in the open, confirming the impression that the Royal Palace and the park behind are just Haemil's backyard**.
But there seems to be something like a moat around the new castle, which now boasts a staircase leading down towards the palace... I wouldn't be surprised to see at least one gate for the future monarch to visit his dependencies...
... and why not, on saturday and sunday mornings, watch some game of parking - football.
Seoul Village 2009
* see previous episodes :
"Haemil - a Think-Tank or only a Tank ?",
"Chung Mong-joon keeps rising...",
and "Mayor OH Se-hoon answers"
On previous saturdays, we sometimes had a tough time breathing : toxic exhausts from his future think tank headquarter's working site* invaded the whole area, irritating our eyes and throats, and I seriously worried about the life expectancy of people manipulating this stuff (definitely too aggressive to be just paint), all day long, and without any special protection.
This morning, we had to wait for over one hour to play, and our game was suddenly interrupted when the huge crane folded, using the dead center of the sports field in the process.
Beyond the crane, which itself covered well over 100 square meters, the central field was also dotted with one big truck and two smaller ones, plus at least two personal cars which had nothing to do up here. At one moment, an old man passed by, jotting down on his notebook one or two license plate numbers. Long after he departed, a small water truck joined the party, but was kind enough to park off the field : after all, we had decided to play on the remaining third of the field without waiting for about 30 huge air con systems to be lifted from the ground to the working site... trying not to think about what would happen if one of these blocks fell down on us.
When we thought we would recover the left third of the field, another personal car arrived and made sure the right wing shrunk even more. And when the trucks cleared the area, the crane stopped the game.
Before deciding to play in spite of this mechanical ballet, we had plenty of time to admire the soon to be completed building. As we saw before, it could be an interesting landmark under less controvertial circumstances. Who knows ? After his election, Chung may decide to offer the site to the city, exposing his personal art collection or presidential library...
Last week, workers removed the old and ugly concrete wall separating Haemil grounds from royal grounds, and I hope they will make something nice, more respectful of the surroundings. They wouldn't dare leaving it like that, out in the open, confirming the impression that the Royal Palace and the park behind are just Haemil's backyard**.
But there seems to be something like a moat around the new castle, which now boasts a staircase leading down towards the palace... I wouldn't be surprised to see at least one gate for the future monarch to visit his dependencies...
... and why not, on saturday and sunday mornings, watch some game of parking - football.
Seoul Village 2009
* see previous episodes :
"Haemil - a Think-Tank or only a Tank ?",
"Chung Mong-joon keeps rising...",
and "Mayor OH Se-hoon answers"
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Mayor OH Se-hoon answers
I recently e-mailed the office of Seoul Mayor OH Se-hoon about Haemil's headquarters (CHUNG Mong-joon's think tank / bunker, still under construction right behind the Gyeonghui Palace*), candidly wondering if all the short and long term consequences - cultural as well as political - had fully been taken into account.
This very kind answer came this morning :
So the decision to "change the area" came "after a series of deliberations and discussions", and the Cultural Properties Administration (now The Cultural Heritage Administration) gave the nod to the project after "a cultural asset agency (...) surveyed the site"**.
In other words : the zoning law was changed to make this construction possible, but neither institution (Seoul, CHA) can be blamed, sorry if we cannot infringe the right of private ambition beyond certain limit.
So be it then... but I'm really curious to see how people will react to Haemil's bold, political statement.
It surely can't be compared with say the Louvres pyramid, at the time a very controversial architectural project, but central to a monument's comprehensive overhaul by the public administration.
Once again, I’m glad that Seoul is growing new architectural landmarks, and this one, in a different context, could be alright (for all I know, it may even be celebrated next year, during the Seoul 2010 Design Capital festivities). But under the circumstances, this project definitely looks like bad PR for everyone.
I hope next projects around cultural assets will receive extra care.
My best wish for your health, prosperity, and happiness as well.
Seoul Village 2009
* see "CHUNG Mong-joon keeps rising...", following "Haemil - A Think Tank or only a tank ?"
** they probably found something interesting during the survey because there was a lot of time between the ground breaking and the actual digging. The big crane on palace grounds didn't raise many objections either.
This very kind answer came this morning :
Answers from the Seoul Metropolitan Government to Stephane MOT
Dear Stephane MOT
Thank you for your special love to Seoul.
As you know, Seoul has been doing various projects in order to rejuvenate the 600-year-old tradition and identity of Seoul, such as Seoul Walls, and Gyeonghuigung. Some buildings of Gyeunghuigung, which was lost during the Japanese occupation including Sungjeongjeon, Taeryeongjeon, Jajeongjeon, and Hangerang were successfully restored. However, the ground of Gyeonghuigung, Historical Site No. 271 failed to escape the wide-ranging abuse inflicted on the buildings and lands being sold. As a result, the area around the cultural site belong to private ownders.
While we understand that we must recover the old territory of Gyeonghuigung, there are too many obstacles so the Cultural Properties Administration, after a series of deliberations and discussions, notified a standard to change the area around the ground of Gyeonghuigung on Feb. 18, 2008.
According to the notification, the Thinktank building will be in the 2-1 Section on the East of the ground of Gyeonghuigung, where a building with up to 3 stories (12m) will be allowed to stand. A cultural asset agency has surveyed the site for the building, and the Cultural Properties Administration received the exploration results and allowed the construction project.
We’d like to express our deep appreciation for your love to the tradition and history of Seoul, and your precious proposal to protect the ground of the royal building. But please be informed and understand that we cannot infringe the right of private property beyond certain limit due to a cultural asset.
My best wish for your health, prosperity, and happiness.
Best regards,
Oh Se-hoon
Mayor of Seoul
So the decision to "change the area" came "after a series of deliberations and discussions", and the Cultural Properties Administration (now The Cultural Heritage Administration) gave the nod to the project after "a cultural asset agency (...) surveyed the site"**.
In other words : the zoning law was changed to make this construction possible, but neither institution (Seoul, CHA) can be blamed, sorry if we cannot infringe the right of private ambition beyond certain limit.
So be it then... but I'm really curious to see how people will react to Haemil's bold, political statement.
It surely can't be compared with say the Louvres pyramid, at the time a very controversial architectural project, but central to a monument's comprehensive overhaul by the public administration.
Once again, I’m glad that Seoul is growing new architectural landmarks, and this one, in a different context, could be alright (for all I know, it may even be celebrated next year, during the Seoul 2010 Design Capital festivities). But under the circumstances, this project definitely looks like bad PR for everyone.
I hope next projects around cultural assets will receive extra care.
My best wish for your health, prosperity, and happiness as well.
Seoul Village 2009
* see "CHUNG Mong-joon keeps rising...", following "Haemil - A Think Tank or only a tank ?"
** they probably found something interesting during the survey because there was a lot of time between the ground breaking and the actual digging. The big crane on palace grounds didn't raise many objections either.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Chung Mong-joon keeps rising...
I still don't get it.
Haemil future headquarters just reached their "ground floor"*, and they look every bit as massive as I feared they would (see "Haemil - a think tank or only a tank ?").
Come on. This is absurd. Almost comical.
From the outside, it looks like those villas built by careless owners optimizing every square centimeter of land they own, not caring if neighbors will face a wall fifty centimeters from their windows. The new building deliberately mocks at all the rules set to prevent abuses : it's bigger than the previous construction, taller than its neighbors, and in one of Seoul's supposedly most protected areas ! On royal grounds claimed by the Japanese during the occupation...
The irony of it is that it will host a think tank meant to boost the image of a future presidential candidate taking infinite precaution to soften his reputation.
I have no doubt he will enjoy a royal view from the upper floors and the roof... but at best, Haemil Headquarters will look like a massive and odd extension to the royal palace, and at worst, the royal palace will look like a small annex to Haemil.
Obviously, Chung Mong-joon's advisors don't have a clue about what they're doing. I can hear them say : "we can still gain some square meters, make it even bigger, it will pass don't worry, I know such and such and we'll get the authorization"... well they obviously won, but at what cost ?
What is the message here ? My ego is bigger than historic sites ? I'm used to getting the best for myself, even if it's not the best for my country, even if it's over the limits, I'm above the rules and I don't care about the consequences... ? this is the way I think and act, would you please vote for me as your next president ?...
Someone seems to care. Someone who, somehow, thinks within this "think tank". Enough to understand that this may be not so good for the image of a future president. This person obtained that the publicity around the construction be minimized : people working there refuse to talk about it, there is no mention of Haemil nor of the purpose of the building on the site (first time I asked they said it would be a "library"), and I know when there's a press conference at nearby KFA because that's the only moment when they stop working. Otherwise, they're busy every day until after dark. As if this genius thought he could go away with it. "No one stopped us during the construction, now it's too late ! What's done can't be undone."
What that great thinker doesn't seem to understand is that completing construction without any reaction doesn't solve anything. To the contrary, it makes things worse : the mess is bound to hit the fan, and the later it does, the uglier.
We are not talking about some "folie" built in a discreet Hyoja-dong alleyway, but about a landmark which will be as visible as the big advertisings behind Namdaemun gate, which in their times stirred so many controversies (all pictures of Sungnyemun featured the logo of an international express mail service provider in the background).
Every visitor to Gyeonghuigung (and more and more people discover this central spot these days) will wonder : who dared build this big thing right behind the palace in 2009 ? and who on Earth let that happen ?
Chung Mong-joon just became the Grand National Party's new leader, opening a boulevard for himself towards the next presidential elections**. Good for him, but he should also take care of that other urban development before it's too late.
My guess : he may need a bulldozer...
... Speaking of which : Lee Myung-bak, who wants the constitution to allow second terms for presidents, introduced a new contender by naming Seoul National University Professor Chung Un-chan his next Prime Minister.
Just in case ?
Seoul Village 2009
ADDENDUM 20090924
The construction of the last floor started today... oh my oh my oh my it's even bigger than I feared.
* as expected, the first "basement" is at the same level as the ground floor of the building next door.
** Oh Se-hoon officially wants to serve a second term as Mayor of Seoul
Haemil future headquarters just reached their "ground floor"*, and they look every bit as massive as I feared they would (see "Haemil - a think tank or only a tank ?").
Come on. This is absurd. Almost comical.
From the outside, it looks like those villas built by careless owners optimizing every square centimeter of land they own, not caring if neighbors will face a wall fifty centimeters from their windows. The new building deliberately mocks at all the rules set to prevent abuses : it's bigger than the previous construction, taller than its neighbors, and in one of Seoul's supposedly most protected areas ! On royal grounds claimed by the Japanese during the occupation...
The irony of it is that it will host a think tank meant to boost the image of a future presidential candidate taking infinite precaution to soften his reputation.
I have no doubt he will enjoy a royal view from the upper floors and the roof... but at best, Haemil Headquarters will look like a massive and odd extension to the royal palace, and at worst, the royal palace will look like a small annex to Haemil.
Obviously, Chung Mong-joon's advisors don't have a clue about what they're doing. I can hear them say : "we can still gain some square meters, make it even bigger, it will pass don't worry, I know such and such and we'll get the authorization"... well they obviously won, but at what cost ?
What is the message here ? My ego is bigger than historic sites ? I'm used to getting the best for myself, even if it's not the best for my country, even if it's over the limits, I'm above the rules and I don't care about the consequences... ? this is the way I think and act, would you please vote for me as your next president ?...
Someone seems to care. Someone who, somehow, thinks within this "think tank". Enough to understand that this may be not so good for the image of a future president. This person obtained that the publicity around the construction be minimized : people working there refuse to talk about it, there is no mention of Haemil nor of the purpose of the building on the site (first time I asked they said it would be a "library"), and I know when there's a press conference at nearby KFA because that's the only moment when they stop working. Otherwise, they're busy every day until after dark. As if this genius thought he could go away with it. "No one stopped us during the construction, now it's too late ! What's done can't be undone."
What that great thinker doesn't seem to understand is that completing construction without any reaction doesn't solve anything. To the contrary, it makes things worse : the mess is bound to hit the fan, and the later it does, the uglier.
We are not talking about some "folie" built in a discreet Hyoja-dong alleyway, but about a landmark which will be as visible as the big advertisings behind Namdaemun gate, which in their times stirred so many controversies (all pictures of Sungnyemun featured the logo of an international express mail service provider in the background).
Every visitor to Gyeonghuigung (and more and more people discover this central spot these days) will wonder : who dared build this big thing right behind the palace in 2009 ? and who on Earth let that happen ?
Chung Mong-joon just became the Grand National Party's new leader, opening a boulevard for himself towards the next presidential elections**. Good for him, but he should also take care of that other urban development before it's too late.
My guess : he may need a bulldozer...
... Speaking of which : Lee Myung-bak, who wants the constitution to allow second terms for presidents, introduced a new contender by naming Seoul National University Professor Chung Un-chan his next Prime Minister.
Just in case ?
Seoul Village 2009
ADDENDUM 20090924
The construction of the last floor started today... oh my oh my oh my it's even bigger than I feared.
* as expected, the first "basement" is at the same level as the ground floor of the building next door.
** Oh Se-hoon officially wants to serve a second term as Mayor of Seoul
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Haemil - a Think-Tank or only a Tank ?
Now that I know what's growing up right next to Gyeonghuigung and for which purpose, I understand how such a massive building could get an authorization just meters away from a supposedly protected cultural heritage.
Picture this : overlooking the beautiful roof of the palace, a big green glass building covering 6 levels.
To be fair, 3 of the said levels are basements... but that's according to the builders : actually, the first basement is above ground so 4 levels will rise above the ground. Worse : the new building will not only be higher than its neighbors (claiming a unique view on the interior of the palace), but also cover much more space than the previous constructions (confirmed by satellite pictures)... which is theoretically impossible if you respect local real estate regulations.
Considering the very strict construction rules in Shinmunro area*, Mayor Oh Se-hoon's repeated pledges to protect downtown Seoul, and the official public ambition to regain the parts of the Gyeonghuigung claimed by colons during the Japanese occupation, such a monster should never have be allowed on the very grounds of the palace.
I guess there was some debate, or even archeological findings, because the ground remained bare for months (small Caterpillars came and went, and that was all). But if they happened, those debates were not made public. And the project was OKayed by Seoul City.
So this green hulk will be built.
Its purpose ? Hosting Chung Mong-joon's think-tank, Haemil.
I don't know if this green tank will think, and I don't know if the 30 or so experts meeting there will come up with a new vision for Korea... but for sure they won't have to come all the way up the building to enjoy a beautiful vision on Korean heritage !
Alright, other architectural atrocities have been committed in the area, but the Seoul Museum of History and the Seoul Museum of Art Annex (SeMa GyeongHuiGung) are not that close to the palace itself, and they belong to the public.
The Haemil Research Institute owes its name to an old expression translated by "the clean, blue sky after a heavy rain shower'' or "serenity after the rain". This shouldn't be misunderstood as a tribute to his founder's legendary hot temper, but as an ambition to find sensible solutions to today's political and financial tempests.
As a matter of fact, Chung Mong-joon plans to become the next Korean President in 2012. And Oh Se-hoon, who seems to be waiting for the next wave (2017) after a second term at the helm of Seoul, probably doesn't want to interfere...
Chung could also target the presidency of FIFA... in which case building a second launching pad in the same area as the KFA headquarters make perfect sense.
I sincerely wish him and Haemil the best, but I also wish their rising were not that literal.
* particularly here, in the middle of a thin band with the most restrictive rules according to official maps (category one).
Picture this : overlooking the beautiful roof of the palace, a big green glass building covering 6 levels.
To be fair, 3 of the said levels are basements... but that's according to the builders : actually, the first basement is above ground so 4 levels will rise above the ground. Worse : the new building will not only be higher than its neighbors (claiming a unique view on the interior of the palace), but also cover much more space than the previous constructions (confirmed by satellite pictures)... which is theoretically impossible if you respect local real estate regulations.
Considering the very strict construction rules in Shinmunro area*, Mayor Oh Se-hoon's repeated pledges to protect downtown Seoul, and the official public ambition to regain the parts of the Gyeonghuigung claimed by colons during the Japanese occupation, such a monster should never have be allowed on the very grounds of the palace.
I guess there was some debate, or even archeological findings, because the ground remained bare for months (small Caterpillars came and went, and that was all). But if they happened, those debates were not made public. And the project was OKayed by Seoul City.
So this green hulk will be built.
Its purpose ? Hosting Chung Mong-joon's think-tank, Haemil.
I don't know if this green tank will think, and I don't know if the 30 or so experts meeting there will come up with a new vision for Korea... but for sure they won't have to come all the way up the building to enjoy a beautiful vision on Korean heritage !
Alright, other architectural atrocities have been committed in the area, but the Seoul Museum of History and the Seoul Museum of Art Annex (SeMa GyeongHuiGung) are not that close to the palace itself, and they belong to the public.
The Haemil Research Institute owes its name to an old expression translated by "the clean, blue sky after a heavy rain shower'' or "serenity after the rain". This shouldn't be misunderstood as a tribute to his founder's legendary hot temper, but as an ambition to find sensible solutions to today's political and financial tempests.
As a matter of fact, Chung Mong-joon plans to become the next Korean President in 2012. And Oh Se-hoon, who seems to be waiting for the next wave (2017) after a second term at the helm of Seoul, probably doesn't want to interfere...
Chung could also target the presidency of FIFA... in which case building a second launching pad in the same area as the KFA headquarters make perfect sense.
I sincerely wish him and Haemil the best, but I also wish their rising were not that literal.
* particularly here, in the middle of a thin band with the most restrictive rules according to official maps (category one).
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