Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2024 competition Student Award winner in the Large Scale category - Hojoon Jang

We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the Student Award winner in the Large Scale category of our "Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2024" competition – Hojoon Jang from South Korea!

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

I recently completed my fifth year in architecture at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, and am currently working as an intern at Fala Atelier in Porto, Portugal. After finishing my undergraduate thesis, I had the unexpected opportunity to receive a government scholarship, which allowed me to embark on a year-long overseas internship experience. As the world becomes increasingly digitized and mobility continues to improve, I believe the physical boundaries between nations are becoming less significant. I no longer feel the need to adhere strictly to Eastern architectural traditions as an East Asian, nor to simply admire Western architecture from afar. Instead, living in an era shaped by a blend of Eastern and Western cultures, I’ve grown increasingly fascinated by ambiguous, multicultural forms of architecture. Through my experience living abroad and working at Fala, I am exploring these architectural ideas while also gaining a deeper understanding of myself.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance, what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where the company/ individuals have been Involved?

In my undergraduate architectural projects, as well as in the work I submitted for the Unbuilt Award, I have been more focused on architecture as a discipline rather than its social, intangible, or ethical values. Specifically, I have been deeply engaged in exploring how the interplay between architectural elements shapes an overall architectural rule and how this rule is expressed through the façade. For me, architecture has been a tool for self-discipline, allowing me to delve into its internal architectural logic.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Building on my previous response, I believe that the relevance of regionalism today is becoming increasingly uncertain. Living in Korea, I watch Hollywood movies on an Apple iPhone made in the United States, enjoy a Japanese meal for lunch, drink Ethiopian coffee, and browse Swiss architecture books. In an environment where regional boundaries are easily transcended, I think we are living in an era with endless possibilities for creating hybrid and culturally mixed architectures. Moving forward, I believe the architectural response to a changing society lies in creating cross-cultural works that feel both familiar and unfamiliar—drawing from a diverse range of references to produce architecture that resonates with this multicultural, interconnected world.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

I participate in architecture competitions where the juries often consist of architects I admire. Competitions hosted by Buildner are always incredible and inspire me to apply.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture competitions?

Having world-renowned architects review my project and provide feedback is an incredible opportunity.