Title The Emergence and Spatial Organisation of Multi-Functional, Multi-Storey Catholic Church Architecture in the 1980s
Authors 강영지(Kang, Youngji)
DOI https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.5.157
Page pp.157-168
ISSN 2733-6247
Keywords Korean Catholic Church Architecture; Seoul; Park Jae-hwan; Jamsil Catholic Church; Second Vatican Council
Abstract This study examines the emergence of a new trend in Korean Catholic church architecture that appeared in Seoul during the 1980s through a detailed investigation of the design and construction process of Jamsil Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Seoul. The church, designed by architect Park Jae-hwan, born in 1941, was first completed in 1980 and extended in 1982. The study also analyses the spatial characteristics of churches associated with this architectural trend. Approximately two years after its initial completion, Jamsil Catholic Church underwent a large-scale extension. This process reveals the circumstances under which similar church buildings began to emerge in Seoul. These churches were designed to accommodate a wide range of parish community activities by stacking multiple floors within a single building to house diverse functions. In addition to liturgical spaces, they incorporated various programmes intended to support the everyday lives of both laypeople and clergy throughout the week. The primary sources for this study include books, newspapers, and Catholic and architectural magazines published from the late 1960s to the 1990s. Information from these sources is supplemented by the contents of a letter written in 2022, in which Park Jae-hwan responded directly to questions from the author.