A cultural center designed by Tadao Ando, renowned for his minimalist approach and masterful use of light and space.
"The significance of architecture is as important as the significance of education. Architecture, like education, provides a space where people can gather and exchange ideas. If architecture lacks the ability to organize and bring people together, it is not architecture. I always think of architecture as something that gathers people."
"Architecture is the art of experience; we see, feel the surface with our hands, walk through the interior of a building – and, in doing so, better understand our own thoughts."
Tadao Ando
The uniqueness of the JCC Art Center complex lies in the fact that it is the only building by Pritzker Prize laureate Tadao Ando in Korea, constructed within the "four fortress gates of Seoul" (i.e., in its historical center). You can find other masterpieces by Ando in Korea; however, this one is the most accessible to the public, being located in the heart of the metropolis. The thematic essence of this masterpiece, which suddenly emerges before us in a narrow alley leading towards the small fortress gate of Hyehwa, is this: "People meet, fall in love, argue, clash – on a small street..." A new challenge for the architect was the slope of the hill along which the alley runs – typically, Ando's creations are associated with straight vertical and horizontal lines.
The complex consists of two standalone buildings. The Art Center and Creative Center are like brothers, members of the same family, separated but inherently connected.