Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025 competition Medium scale category Student Award winners - Kangwon National University

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce the Medium scale category Student Award winners of our Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025 – Yoon Daeun, Heecheol Kang and Hyeongwon Ryu from South Korea!

Yoon Daeun, Heecheol Kang and Hyeongwon Ryu

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.

We are a student team from the Department of Architecture at Kangwon National University. Through our architectural education, we have naturally come to understand architecture not merely as a finished product, but as a process in which time, space, and people’s lives gradually accumulate. We believe that architecture should begin not with the act of demolishing and rebuilding, but with reading and understanding the memories and contexts embedded in existing places. From this perspective, we see an essential role of design as exploring how the past, the present, and the future can be meaningfully connected.

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?

Over five years of architectural studies, our projects have evolved from small-scale designs to large-scale urban planning. While we were once drawn to the grandeur of massive structures, advancing in our studies has taught us the profound significance of architectural details and intimacy. This competition was an opportunity to revisit the 'finer details' we once overlooked, blending them with a macro-perspective that considers both the city and the future. Navigating this balance between the minute and the urban has been a pivotal moment in our professional growth.

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

We believe that while we often strive to focus on the 'extraordinary' through architecture competitions, the reality is that people perceive architecture as an integral part of their 'everyday' lives. Therefore, we feel it is crucial to find a fine balance between the two. If we regard architecture and the act of building as something excessively special, we risk falling into the mannerism of 'Paper Architecture'; conversely, if we view it only through a functional, everyday lens, the world becomes monotonous. Thus, we believe the most vital role of an architect in our society is to navigate that boundary—providing an experience that is both unique and comfortable. Our mission is to move quickly yet thoughtfully to offer people a harmonious sense of specialness within the familiarity of their daily existence.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We see architecture competitions as an exciting journey of discovery. It’s not just about winning; it’s about understanding how the world thinks. By analyzing the competition's themes and seeing how peers globally respond to them, we gain a broader vision of where our field is headed. Moreover, competitions bridge the gap in our academic experience. While most of our school studio work is individual, the real world demands synergy. We embrace these challenges to master the art of teamwork, ensuring we are fully prepared for the collaborative nature of the architectural profession.

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

We would encourage anyone not to hesitate for too long and to take on the challenge. The process of identifying a problem, defining it independently, and working toward a solution is already a meaningful experience in itself. We believe that architecture is not about presenting fixed answers, but about continually questioning what kinds of spaces are needed in an ever-changing world. Architecture competitions also offer an opportunity to think beyond familiar environments and engage with a broader context. By reflecting on the same theme alongside participants from diverse national and cultural backgrounds, one can gain a wider perspective on architecture. Regardless of the outcome, such experiences leave a lasting impact on one’s approach to design.