Concrete Pavilion competition Honorable mention winners - Chae Eun Kim and Chae Lin Kim

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winners of our Concrete Pavilion competition – Chae Eun Kim and Chae Lin Kim from South Korea!

Chae Eun Kim and Chae Lin Kim

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 sister designers currently practicing Architecture in South Korea, with academic backgrounds in Malaysia and Hong Kong. Growing up between cultures has shaped both our identities and design approach as Architectural designers. While we were immersed in diverse urban environments abroad, we remained deeply connected to our Korean cultural roots. (Image of us— Chae Lin Kim (left) and Chae Eun Kim (right).

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?

Our work ranges from residential houses, educational facilities to industrial and office. We are especially interested in projects that require careful coordination between human needs, spatial experience, and technical systems. In KIWA, this interest is translated into a prefabricated modular pavilion system inspired by traditional Korean roof tiles. Although the pavilion is small in scale, it addresses broader Architectural themes: Material culture and reinterpretation, Structural intelligence through Repetition, Environmental sensitivity and Cultural continuity.

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

Architecture is a vessel of memory and identity. In KIWA, traditional Korean roof tiles are not treated as nostalgic symbols but as intelligent structural systems based on interlocking geometry and material logic of concrete. By reinterpreting roof tiles as vertical walls, the project transforms heritage into inhabitable contemporary space. To us, Architecture: Connects past and present, Translates cultural heritage into modern language, Balances simplicity and complexity. We approach Architecture as practice of deep listening — to people, to site, and to history — and synthesizing these layers into meaningful spatial experiences.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions allow Architecture to return to its conceptual essence. Competitions create space to test ideas that may not emerge in conventional practice. For us, they are opportunities to refine our own Architectural philosophy and express cultural narratives through design.

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

Competitions are not only about winning — they are about defining our Architectural voice. Through competitions, designers can explore their identity, experiment with ideas, and strengthen conceptual thinking. Even if unbuilt, the intellectual development remains valuable.