| Title |
Navigating Historicism and Modernism in the Design of Korea’s National Assembly Building |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2023.39.10.163 |
| Keywords |
National Assembly Building; Korean Architecture in the 1960s; Modernist Interpretation of Traditional Korean Architecture |
| Abstract |
The paper examines how the identities of a democratic nation, a decolonized entity, and national culture intersected in the discussions surrounding the
construction of the National Assembly Building in Korea from the 1950s to the 1970s. These values influenced decisions ranging from site selection
to building design and the overall narrative associated with the completed structure. Multiple architects were involved in this process, and various
design proposals underwent changes due to political intervention. This paper analyzed the rationale behind the site selection of the National Assembly
Building’s location and emphasized the architectural elements and design decisions made throughout the design process. This modernist building
incorporates traditional Western legislative architectural features, including the dome, while integrating facades with columns inspired by traditional
Korean architecture. The structure itself reflects the conflicts surrounding the representation of a modern nation and Korean traditional culture. The
struggle between modernism and historical perspectives has profoundly influenced the regional expression of Korean Modernist architects and their
interpretation of tradition in Korean architecture. |