30 Best Architecture and Design Firms in South Korea

These annual rankings were last updated on July 18th, 2024. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking.

South Korea’s architectural language has developed over centuries, undergoing many evolutions and stylistic variations — many influenced by wavering politics. From the Japanese occupation to the devastating Korean War, South Korea’s urban fabric has endured many moments of unrest. The remains from times of political strife now stand alongside the nation’s contemporary architecture.

The nation’s pre-modern architecture is heavily influenced by Buddhism and Chinese design. South Korea’s mountainous landscape is home to traditional sloped-roof dwellings, temples and palaces attributed to past dynasties. Take the Changdeokgung Palace and the Haeinsa Temple, for example. These two relics are among South Korea’s 15 World Heritage Sites.

Alongside the tradition found in South Korean architecture is an astute interest in modern architecture and technology. Following the Korean War, the divide between North and South brought forth independent architectural styles. Once the dust from the wars settled and capital increased, Korean architecture flourished. A new sensibility was found — one that rejects pragmatism and encourages experimentation and sophistication. South Korean architects began studying abroad and fusing their international perspectives with cultural tradition to breed a distinct Korean spirit. Seoul, South Korea’s capital, has become an international stage for large-scale and impressive architectural feats.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in South Korea based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

• The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2024)
• The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2024)
• The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2024)
• The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2024)
• The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2024)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of South Korea architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 30 best architecture firms in South Korea:

31. Joongwon Architects

Joongwon Architects was founded in 1985 and is a second-generation architectural collective. Although we create results in the present, we respect the accumulated experience of the field that has gone through countless trials and errors and repetitions from the past, and we strive to ensure that the inspirations on our shiny desks are translated into lasting meaning. Unlike inventors, for architects, a creative moment is a small moment in which we discover values in life that we hadn’t realized through continuous observation. Joongwon Architects is steadily creating healthy places in our cities based on a delicate understanding of life, and we are creating spaces that can last for a long time based on our sincere interest in architecture.

Some of Joongwon Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Lightus Retreat, South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States
• Forest Edge, Hongcheon-gun, South Korea

The following statistics helped Joongwon Architects achieve 31st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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30. 2m2 architects

2m2 architects was founded in Seoul by architect Junghee Lee. It tries to suggest new cultural and social possibility in old-fashioned, conventional existing Korean architect and aims to produce high quality final architecture so that architect, client and constructor can be satisfied.

Based on differentiated design, the company reflects details on construction accumulated in the field for several years on design and provide client.
In addition, while having interest in various fields such as design, music, image and street culture other than architecture, the company plans, designs and constructs the project through collaboration with expertise in different

Some of 2m2 architects’s most prominent projects include:

• Geoje house_Younghaeawon(????), Geoje-si, South Korea
• Boombox House, South Korea
• Apple Farm House, Pohang-si, South Korea
• Sista House, Seoul, South Korea
• Daebong-dong Commercial_skipfloor, Daegu, South Korea

The following statistics helped 2m2 architects achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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29. UTAA

UTAA is a South Korean architecture and design firm. Its work is mainly focused around residential projects.

Some of UTAA’s most prominent projects include:

• Rest Hole in the University of Seoul, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
• Black Box, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, South Korea
• Boseong House, Boseong-gun, South Korea
• Pinocchio, Pocheon-si, South Korea
• Cinema House, Paju-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped UTAA achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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28. Z_Lab

Z_Lab is a design group to create a place and space based communication with region and reflects the individual’s desire and will. We must achieve a balance of individual aspirations and regional universality in terms of the design and regional identity. In this instance we create a new experience for staying out through space and personalized lifestyle brand.

We would like to contribute to give a new experience for many people beyond the geographic boundaries based on the place and space. So that our results can be created with a private transfer to local and sustainable value for the future to create a positive business model based on the person and region.

Some of Z_Lab’s most prominent projects include:

• Zer0place, Seosan-si, South Korea
• Creativehouse, Seoul, South Korea
• Pyeongdae Panorama, Jeju-si, South Korea
• Yuwolbyulchae, Jeju-si, South Korea
• blindwhales, Jeju-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped Z_Lab achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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27. ANM

ANM is an architecture and design studio. ANM is technical and methodological, emphasizing only diversity and differentiation. In the midst of biased architectural trends, realistic and honest architectural relationships ANM works in a balanced way between the architect’s intentions and the architectural needs.

Some of ANM’s most prominent projects include:

• Monk’s Cabin (Zen Room for a Buddhist Monk), Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea
• House in Jeju, Jeju-do, South Korea
• D Church, Yeoju-gun, South Korea
• Yangpyeong House, Yangpyeong-gun, South Korea
• Coffee House_Dong am, Yangpyeong-gun, South Korea

The following statistics helped ANM achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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26. Oh jongsang

Oh jongsang is a South Korean architecture and design firm. Its work is mainly focused around religious projects.

Some of Oh jongsang’s most prominent projects include:

• YI building, South Korea
• SM church, South Korea
• Daejeon West church, South Korea
• Hanul Namoo Church, Suwon-si, South Korea
• Bujang-li house, South Korea

The following statistics helped Oh jongsang achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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25. HyunjoonYoo Architects

Architecture is to design relationships. We seek to create harmony among people and with nature through new architectural visions.

Some of HyunjoonYoo Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• The Void, Korea
• Ssangdalri House, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• HUB, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Mug Hakdong
• Hanok 3.0, Daejeon, South Korea

The following statistics helped HyunjoonYoo Architects achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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24. DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE

Cities need more accessible and reconfigurable construction strategies to foster the culture of dynamic placemaking in the context of ephemeral and transitory programs in our contemporary city. Stick Snap Stack is an alternative construction system to offer such a resilient construction framework. The system utilizes the simplicity of ‘stacking’ inspired by the traditional wood joinery method. Without bonding agents, the system uses a ‘snapping’ induced interlocking system for the unique stacking mechanism.

The geometry of the centerpiece can be fabricated to shift the stacking angle, while modularized three legs of the assembled unit block interlock with other blocks to complete a rhombohedral unit cell acting as a self-supporting structural ‘module.’

Some of DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE’s most prominent projects include:

• HIGH LIVING
• STICK SNAP STACK, Seoul, South Korea
• Hotel Solitaire, Seoul, South Korea
• Unduk-Naru, Seoul, South Korea
• SLANTED MEMORIAL, Seoul, South Korea

The following statistics helped DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE PLLC achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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23. D.LIM Architects

D·LIM is an architectural group ledby its two principals, Yeonghwan Lim and Sunhyun Kim. Lim, a professor at Hongik University and a registered architect in Pennsylvania, is responsible for creative design. Kim holds a master’s degree in project management from Harvard University and is responsible for the execution of projects. She is a registered architect in Korea.

Some of D.LIM Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall, Seoul, South Korea
• H&M Seoul Hongdae Store, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Stardom Entertainment Office, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
• Coconut house, Seongnam-si, South Korea
• CJ Nine Bridges “The Forum”, Seogwipo-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped D.LIM Architects achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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22. YounghanChung Architects

Younghan Chung architects, the architectural studio based on Seoul, seeks for new typology of living in the dense and uniform picture of the city and studies experimental and creative design processes through the relationship of various phenomena of the city.

Some of YounghanChung Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Floating Cubes, Cheongwon-gun, South Korea
• POROSCAPE, Seoul, South Korea
• 9X9 EXPERIMENTAL HOUSE, Yangju, South Korea
• Five Trees, Busan, South Korea
• 6X6 HOUSE

The following statistics helped YounghanChung Architects achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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21. Lee Eunseok+KOMA

In 1995, representative architect Lee won the first prize in the international competition KOMA (Korea American Museum of Art and Cutural Center) in Los Angeles, USA, with R.Meier, M.Graves, and J.S.Kim, renowned architects, as judges, from 475 participating teams from 68 countries around the world, and presented the concept of an open platform, a common value of mankind, and a space based on the motif of a lifted traditional horizontal roof to the world. Thus, the values of ‘lifted architecture’ and ‘open space’ were incorporated into the name and are the main concepts of KOMA’s current architecture.

Some of Lee Eunseok+KOMA’s most prominent projects include:

• Saemoonan Church, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Son Yang Won Memorial Museum, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
• Heavenly Gem Church, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Erum Church, South Korea

The following statistics helped Lee Eunseok+KOMA achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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20. WISE Architecture

Young Jang, AIA, received his Master of Architecture from University of California, Berkeley after received Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Hongik University in Korea. He worked at Iroje Architects and Planners, Seoul, Korea, and Rafael Vinoly Architects, and Steven Holl Architects, New York.

Sook Hee Chun, AIA, received her Master of Architecture from Princeton University after received BS in Architecture from Ewha Womans University in Korea. She worked at Iroje Architects and Planners, Seoul, Korea, and Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, New York. After Jointly establishing WISE Architecture in 2008, the two completed several small but meaningful projects focusing on materiality of everydayness in Seoul.

Some of WISE Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• BOX MOBILE GALLERY, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ABC Building, Seoul, South Korea
• Dialogue in the Dark Bukchon, Seoul, South Korea
• Red Mirror Strips, Seoul, South Korea
• Mu;M Building, Korea

The following statistics helped WISE Architecture achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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19. JMY architects

‘Architecturing’ has two main meanings. First, it refers to the basic posture and method of constructing in a present progressive sense rather than the resultant object of an architecture. Second, it also describes the object of design as ‘a work of organizing a space’ rather than the external form. There is no end if architecture is confronted with difficulty.

Occasionally, the numerous theories and results of architectures and cities deceive our mind and disturb the liberal thoughts of our brain. Since our knowledge and experiences are limited, an attitude of learning something new and emptying our mind everyday is required.
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Pure intellectual curiosity, positive thinking, and attitude that can stand up to the challenges we face will broaden our knowledge and deepen our thought. It is architecturing of JMY architects to enjoy learning and doing so.

Some of JMY architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Woljam-Ri House, South Korea
• [5X17] Daecheong-dong Small House, Busan, South Korea
• [Sky ground] Sinsa-dong Office Complex, Seoul, South Korea
• [Cheonggye-ri House] Where mountains, lakes and sky meet, apparatus at the boundary and gap, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
• [EARNEST CAPE] The Hill where the sky and the sea take a break, Ulsan, South Korea

The following statistics helped JMY architects achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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18. ON Architecture INC.

We will suggest various models through investigations on the values and possibilities of local architecture. We will go beyond the junction between physical, environmental, and realistic factors towards suggesting an alternative that builds up the communicative relationships between people and between local areas. We will seek after the creation of new values by exploring social and cultural phenomena with insightful thinking. We will become a sustainable group that makes ceaseless experiments on various alternatives to create limitless values and business models based on architecture. We are mainly interested in the small relationships of architecture created by many people after gathering, and will put values on social change stemming from small things.

Some of ON Architecture INC.’s most prominent projects include:

• Y-HOUSE, Ulsan, South Korea
• Tower House, Gimhae-si, South Korea
• Min Hwi Jeong, Ulsan, South Korea
• Project Floor Area Ratio Game, Ulsan, South Korea
• Double house, Ulsan, South Korea

The following statistics helped ON Architecture INC. achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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17. Archium

Archium is a South Korean architecture and design firm. Its work is mainly focused around commercial and residential projects.

Some of Archium’s most prominent projects include:

• Persona, Seoul, South Korea
• Bauzium Sculpture Gallery, Gangwon-do, South Korea
• Gilmosery, Seoul, South Korea
• Khmeresque, Battambang, Cambodia
• Himalesque, Jomsom, Nepal

The following statistics helped Archium achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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16. EHLA

Architecture is nothing. However, architecture is more significant than any others like air in our life. Architecture is not a hero. Architecture is just a stage of our living. We do not want architecture to say a lot of showing language to come forward from the surroundings. As people live healthier within clean air, we want architecture to be a clean, pure and honest artifact that holds human life silently. We do not believe architecture will change the world and we do not work in order to change the world through architecture. For now, we, aoa architects, are about to construct the architecture with architecture itself without a metadiscourse beyond architecture.

Some of EHLA’s most prominent projects include:

• ?House (digeut-jip), Eumseong-gun, South Korea
• Chubby Cat House, Seoul, South Korea
• villa mangwon – stacked house, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Malefemale House, Seoul, South Korea
• villa Jeju, Seogwipo-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped EHLA achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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15. ArchiWorkshop

We are architects, who think, create, enjoy and share everyday architecture.

Some of ArchiWorkshop’s most prominent projects include:

• White Cube Mangwoo, Seoul, South Korea
• ArchiGlam_Glamping, South Korea
• Mobile Library, Seoul, South Korea
• Glamping on the Rock, South Korea
• Red Square House, South Korea

The following statistics helped ArchiWorkshop achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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14. Architecture Studio YEIN

Architecture Studio YEIN is an architectural practice based on South Korea. Its work is mainly focused around residential projects.

Some of Architecture Studio YEIN’s most prominent projects include:

• Sushi-Hu, Noam-dong, Gangneung-si, South Korea
• Dried Persimmon House, Gangneung-si, South Korea
• BomBom Boutique Hotel, Gangneung-si, South Korea
• Haemutje House, South Korea
• PanPanhouse in Yucheon-dong, Gangneung-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped Architecture Studio YEIN achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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13. SsD

SsD is an architecture firm that approaches design as a convergent, interdisciplinary venture. Minimum form takes maximum effect with the goal to bridge the utopian and the pragmatic. Instead of separating aspects of architecture, landscape, history, social systems, and codes into their constituent disciplines, these agendas are simultaneously explored so that each discipline symbiotically gains from the other.  In this way sustainability emerges as an integrated rather than additive result.

Some of SsD’s most prominent projects include:

• Simgok, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, South Korea
• Songpa Micro-Housing, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Oasis Place
• Sundial House, Jung-gu, Incheon, South Korea
• Big Dig House, Lexington, Massachusetts

The following statistics helped SsD achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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12. HAEAHN Architecture

HAEAHN Architecture, marking its 34th anniversary this year, has been continuously striving to design valuable urban environmental projects based on creativity and innovation since its establishment in 1990. HAEAHN has been in alliance with H Architecture, New York, USA since 2011 and established several overseas offices which have greatly contributed to its extensive growth in becoming a world standard architectural design firm. Overseas offices such as, Baghdad Branch Office, Republic of Iraq in 2014, Ho Chi Minh City Branch Office, Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 2018.

Some of HAEAHN Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• National Assembly Communication Building, Seoul, South Korea
• Hwaseong Hambaeksan Memorial Park, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Incheon Children Science Museum, South Korea
• Baseball Dream Park, Daejeon, South Korea
• National Aviation Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea

The following statistics helped HAEAHN Architecture achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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11. OBBA

The Office for Beyond Boundaries Architecture (OBBA) was founded in 2012 by So-jung Lee and Sang-Jun Kwak, to pursue a combination of multiple choices and solutions by looking at the rapidly changing current current society and the various problems that arise in the niche of its changing from a unified perspective rather than individual perception.

Some of OBBA’s most prominent projects include:

• The Vault House, Hadong-gun, South Korea
• Beyond the Screen, Seoul, Korea
• The Floating Island, Bruges, Belgium
• The Oasis, Yongin-si, South Korea
• The Illusion, Seoul, South Korea

The following statistics helped OBBA achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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10. Yong Ju Lee Architecture

Yong Ju Lee, AIA is principal of Seoul-based Yong Ju Lee Architecture. He has been working for stimulating design for everyday life in multiple scales and media. His works are presented worldwide such as National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Seoul), Museum of Modern Art (New York) and Venice Biennale. He also received world-renowned awards including Korean Public Architecture Award, iF Design Award and Design Vanguard.

He earned academic degrees from Yonsei University and Columbia University. He is registered architect in Massachusetts and had been a founding partner of New York based E/B Office. He is currently assistant professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology.

Some of Yong Ju Lee Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• Myeonmok Fire Station, Seoul, South Korea
• Root Bench, Seoul, South Korea
• Hoehyeon Community, Seoul, South Korea
• Dispersion, Suwon, South Korea
• Wing Tower, Seoul, South Korea

The following statistics helped Yong Ju Lee Architecture achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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9. L’EAU design

L’EAU Design is a group seeking after such environment as falling under comprehensive sense and attempt the relationship with architectural design. ‘Environment’ includes meanings of social and cultural conditions that influence in human lifestyle as well as ecological and build environment. L’EAU Design, since its establishment in 2000, has been pursuing a total design focused on ‘Architecture and Urbanism’ ‘Renovation and Interior Design’ ‘Environment Design’ in order to architecturally design diverse concerns amid the better ‘human environment’, which is based on their research about social and cultural background of human.

Some of L’EAU design’s most prominent projects include:

• Matryoshka, Korea
• Tropism of wild flower, Seoul, South Korea
• Song-chu Bending Band, Yangju-si, South Korea
• Jeju BAYHILL POOL & VILLA _ EGOISTIC CROPPING, Yeraehaean-ro, Seogwipo-si, South Korea
• Cosmos Intime, Gwangju, South Korea

The following statistics helped L'EAU design Co.,Ltd. achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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8. stpmj

stpmj is an award winning design practice based in New York and Seoul. The office was founded by Seung Teak Lee and Mi Jung Lim with the agenda of “provocative realism.” It is a series of synergetic explorations that occur on the boundary between the ideal and the real. It is based on simplicity of form and detail, clarity of structure, excellence in environmental function, use of new materials, and rational management of budget. To these, the team adds ideas generated from curiosity in everyday life as they pursue a methodology for dramatically exploiting the limitations of reality. Resulting from these new perspectives, their work is nuanced yet bold and represents a reaction against architectural clichés.

Some of stpmj’s most prominent projects include:

• Invisible Barn, Truckee, California
• Shear House, Yecheon-gun, South Korea
• Stratum House, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• The Surface, Gwacheon-si, South Korea
• Dissolving Arch, Jeju-do, South Korea

The following statistics helped stpmj achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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7. JOHO Architecture

Interpreting architecture as a part of the humanities, JOHO Architectrue bases their philosophy on creating new identity and discourse in contemporary cities. In addition, architectural materials are set as a unit of ‘geo-metry’ and designs are developed through the grouping, addition and subtraction of these units. This ‘material_metry’ refers to the reinterpretation of a material’s meaning within the context of a site.

Some of JOHO Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• Namhae Cheo-ma House
• The Curving House, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Casa Geometrica, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Time Stacking House, Seoul, South Korea
• Platform-L Contemporary Art Center, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

The following statistics helped JOHO Architecture achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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6. BCHO Architects Associates

Founded in Seoul, Korea in 1994, BCHO Architects started as a design build office with a focus on simple structures and strong regard for nature. Since 1998 the practice focus is  architecture and furniture, however we work very closely with contractors and multiple fabrication specialists in various disciplines; including stone masons, product designers, wood workers, potters, lighting engineers, furniture and graphic designers and artists. We also have multiple professional collaborators in Montana, Massachussetts, California, Hawaii and Peru. BCHO Architects believe that buildings, furniture and art are made, not created. Each architectural project, encompassing various scales and programs, explores the phenomenon of light and space, fabrication and construction methods , recycling and reusing, and a broad sense of sustainability (social/cultural/physical) which uses our collective creative energy to reduce our buildings demand for grid energy.

Some of BCHO Architects Associates’s most prominent projects include:

• Namhae Southcape Linear Suite Hotel, Namhae-gun, South Korea
• Twin Tree Towers, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• L House
• Hanil Cement Information Center and Guesthouse, Maepo-eup, Danyang-gun, South Korea
• Camerata Music Space

The following statistics helped BCHO Architects Associates achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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5. Suh Architects

With every project, Suh Architects is defined by the marriage of function and verve. It does not adhere to a predetermined style, and expects its architecture to outlast current trends. Buildings must not only make sense spatially and in an intangible way, but also keep the rain out, heat in, and stay within budget. The firm is well-aware that this sort of harmony is only made possible by maintaining consistent standards and fully understanding its clients’ needs.

Its founder, Eulho Suh, is directly involved in the design and execution of each project from its initial conception, through planning, construction, and completion. With every project, spatial clarity and human scale are foremost; subsequent details are held to the highest standard of execution.

Some of Suh Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• HYUNDAI SONGPA, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS FC CLUBHOUSE, Bongdong-eup, Wanju-gun, South Korea
• GENESIS SUJI, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, South Korea
• GENESIS STUDIO, Hanam-si, South Korea
• HYUNDAI MOTORSTUDIO, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

The following statistics helped Suh Architects achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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4. Mass Studies

Mass Studies was founded in 2003 by Minsuk Cho in Seoul, Korea, as a critical investigation of architecture in the context of mass production, intensely over-populated urban conditions, and other emergent cultural niches that define contemporary society. Amid the many frictions defining spatial conditions in the twenty-first century, namely past vs. future, local vs. global, utopia vs. reality, and individual vs. collective, Mass Studies focuses on the operative complexity of these multiple conditions instead of striving for a singular, unified perspective. For each architectural project, which exist across a wide range of scales, Mass Studies explores issues such as spatial systems/matrixes, building materials/techniques, and typological divergences to foster a vision that allows the discovery of new socio/cultural potential.

Some of Mass Studies’ most prominent projects include:

• Daum Space.1
• Southcape Owner’s Club – Clubhouse, Yeosu, Korea, Republic of
• Bundle Matrix: S-Trenue, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Missing Matrix Building: Boutique Monaco, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Ann Demeulemeester Shop, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

The following statistics helped Mass Studies achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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3. Moon Hoon

Moon Hoon is an architectural practice based on South Korea. Its work is mainly focused around residential projects.

Some of Moon Hoon’s most prominent projects include:

• Two Moon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Vi-sang House, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Busan Times, Busan, South Korea
• Simple House, Jeju-si, South Korea
• Wind House, Jeju-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped Moon Hoon achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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2. IROJE KHM Architects

IROJE KHM Architects is many kinds of award-winning architect’s office in Seoul, Korea. Kim Hyo Man, the principal of IROJE KHM Architects, is architect, concurrent professor of graduate school of architecture and editorial adviser of architectural magazine.

Some of IROJE KHM Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Ga On Jai, Kwangmy?ng, Korea, Republic of
• HWA HUN, South Korea
• Kyeong Dok Jai, Goyang-si, South Korea
• Tetris Nursery, Dobong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• STELLA FIORE, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped IROJE KHM Architects achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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1. Studio Gaon

Studio Gaon was founded in 1998 and is represented by Lim Hyoung-nam and Roh Eun-joo. Gaon means ‘center’ in Korean. The firm carries out various urban and architectural projects. The architecture they pursue harmonizes with nature and contemplates the locality of Korea and the present nature of architecture.

The studio is particularly interested in traditional architecture featuring the locality of Korea and Seoul, where we are mainly active. From their point of view, the biggest feature of Korean architecture is the movement of space, compared to other oriental architectures such as that of Japan and China.

Some of Studio Gaon’s most prominent projects include:

• Jetavana Buddhist Temple, Nam-myeon, Chuncheon-si, South Korea
• Casa Gaia, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, South Korea
• Labyrinthos, South Korea
• Top image: The House With Four Wings, Incheon, South Korea
• House of January, House on the Demarcation, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, South Korea

The following statistics helped Studio Gaon achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in South Korea:

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• Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
• Inclusion of construction photographs

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