Modern architecture has faced criticism for failing to sufficiently capture life experiences and the context of place, having tended to organize space primarily around function, efficiency, and economy. Consequently, the paradigm of architectural spac...
Modern architecture has faced criticism for failing to sufficiently capture life experiences and the context of place, having tended to organize space primarily around function, efficiency, and economy. Consequently, the paradigm of architectural space design is shifting beyond mere physical construction toward integrating sustainability, the historical character of place, and user experience within a social context.
Within this trend, this paper adopts the contextualist philosophy of Stephen C. Pepper (Stephen C. Pepper), who views architecture as an evolving ‘event’ rather than an isolated object. Building on this foundation, it aims to derive the architectural thinking characteristics of Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal and the spatial expression methods applied from them. The ultimate goal is to propose a spatial design method that reconstructs existing architectural resources not as targets for demolition but from the perspectives of process and use.
To this end, this study interprets space not as a fixed form but as a process of relationships and generation, focusing on the concepts central to Pepper's contextualism: ‘Historical Event’, ‘Quality’, and ‘Texture’. This perspective forms the core philosophical foundation of this study, which views architecture not as a finished product but as a generative process that changes and expands over time.
Based on this contextualist perspective, an analysis of Lacaton and Vassal's architectural thinking yielded five spatial characteristics: preservation, multi-layeredness, superimposition, relationality, and flexibility. Furthermore, through eight major project cases, including the Latapi House and the Palais de Tokyo, specific spatial expression methods were derived that accommodate new functional demands while maintaining the existing context.
First, preservation refers to an attitude that recognizes existing architecture not as something to be demolished but as a resource, respecting accumulated structures and traces to maintain the memory of the place and the continuity of time. This operates as a foundation for connecting the past context to present life through minimal intervention. Second, multi-layeredness is the characteristic where space is not fixed to a single function but is composed as an open field where diverse interpretations and experiences coexist according to user actions and time. Third, superimposition refers to a state where new uses and meanings are layered onto existing spaces, simultaneously revealing temporal strata of past and present. Fourth, relationality is a perspective that understands architecture as a medium for interaction between users, the local community, and the environment, fostering social relationships through publicness and openness. Fifth, flexibility implies that space is not fixed to a specific purpose but retains the potential to be reconfigured according to changing needs, enabling diverse interpretations by users through simple structures and adaptable spaces.
Based on these analytical findings, a spatial design proposal for the Gwangjin-gu Youth Startup Support Center was developed through the remodeling of Seoul's Hwayang Elementary School. Comprehensively considering the accumulated site memory and structural conditions of the existing school, along with the potential for relationship formation among users, the closed school was reinterpreted as a space where the community's daily life and youth entrepreneurial activities intersect. Concurrently, variable spatial arrangements and a flexible structural system were applied, designing the space to be actively reconfigured according to user needs.