Eco Hanok

Architecture and Material R&D Assemble, BC Architects & Studies & Materials, Aterlier LUMA Material R&D Yoon Jungwon, Kim Hyeong Ki and LAboratory on Construction and Building Materials, Chosun Univerity, University of Seoul TAD Lab Production Support Dream Lime, Claymax, Goryeong Rooftile, Sejin Plus, Hongik Humans Construction and Local Design Support Stuga House, Urban Society, Songryunjae, Ilsin Handicrafts, Hyunjin Construction, Hanok Sarang Landscape Design VNH, ANPARK Crafts October Kim Studio, Jangjibang, Garagegage, STUDIO OHYUKYOUNG 3D Scanning & Modeling TechCapsule

Assemble

Assemble is a London-based group that works across and in between the fields of architecture, art, and design. We have made buildings, fabricated furniture and facades, produced artworks, planted gardens, and curated exhibitions and events. We develop business plans and initiate organizations where available resources can be more impactfully employed as new forms of social rather than spatial infrastructure. We design, construct, and manage workspaces. We curate and teach, give talks and lectures, write books, and publish research. We work together cooperatively, valuing consensus, debate, and collaboration. Assemble explores projects through the lens of the materials they are made from, through hands-on making, and DIY experimentation through collaboration with fabricators, scientists, and industrial partners. Our practice sees design as a tool to respond to the environmental, social, and economic challenges of our time. We recognize the complicity of architecture, construction, and the built environment in many of the most harmful and inequitable practices that persist today. We believe that good practice, critical reflection, and the production of practical examples are the most effective means that we have for advocating for change and proving that alternatives to the status quo can produce better outcomes and create improved conditions for all. It is with this spirit and methodology that Assemble, led by James Binning and Mark Gavinan, collaborated with BC and Atelier LUMA in Eco Hanok. The Eco Hanok commission was an opportunity to broaden how we think about the way a built environment is made. Beyond a re-appraisal of the materials and systems with which we build, we need to more broadly re-evaluate the role of architecture in the production of the common built environment. At the outset of our collaboration, our vision was to develop a project that would have value and meaning as a tool rather than an object. The primary legacy of many of the Gwangju Follies is the final artifact—the installation on the streets and in the public spaces around the city. Against the practice of conceiving and delivering a pavilion from afar, we developed a set of designs that interpreted the way novel materials and existing but uncommon, more traditional building practices could come together in the repair of the hanok. Instead of concentrating on the built outcome, we focused on the opportunity as a way of developing and testing different kinds of material practices. Beyond the building itself, we wanted to demonstrate that locally available materials and skills could be employed to construct buildings in a fundamentally different way.

BC Architects & Studies & Materials

BC Architects & Studies & Materials is a hybrid practice operating at the intersection of architecture, research, and material innovation, focusing on projects that integrate local resources and crafts into contemporary design practices. Our approach, applied to Eco Hanok, is deeply rooted in the belief that architecture should be responsive to its environment and the communities it serves. Eco Hanok presented a unique opportunity to explore how traditional Korean architecture could be revitalized using locally sourced and environmentally conscious materials. As a collective, our team at BC brought together diverse expertise, with Laurens Bekemans and Yohann Hubert leading the architectural narrative and design execution. Laurens, serving as the general project leader for BC, oversaw the overall direction of the project, ensuring that the core narrative aligned with our collective values and the cultural context of Gwangju. Yohann focused on the design, and details of the execution, collaborating closely with Mark Gavigan of Assemble, Henna Burney of Atelier LUMA, and the local Korean team, including Park Ki Chan and Lee Youngmin from Urban Society. A significant aspect of our contribution was the development of new materials that resonate with the region’s ecological and cultural identity. Ken De Cooman and Marilys Tran took on this challenge within BC Materials, focusing on creating plasters, paints, and compressed blocks by blending local resources such as earth, algae, oyster and cockle shells. This material innovation was a collaborative effort with Atelier LUMA, regional craftsmen, industrial partners, and local experts such as Kim Hyeong Ki from Chosun University, Yoon Jungwon from the University of Seoul, as well as the graduate students from their respective programs. The result was a set of materials that highlighted sustainable practices in the restoration of the hanok. Reflecting on our experience, we were deeply impacted by the collaboration with the local Korean teams which challenged our practice by reflecting on new visions and philosophies on how to approach bioregional design. The variety of positions helped understand further the depth and complexity of a bioregional approach and showed the importance of dialogue and collaboration in today’s building cultures. It all shows what is possible when architecture is approached as a collective, interdisciplinary endeavor, at once local and intercommunal. The Eco Hanok project stands as an example of the potential of bioregionalism in architecture — a practice that connects the local environment with global design thinking to create spaces that are both sustainable and deeply rooted in their cultural context. This project has reinforced our belief that architecture is not just about constructing buildings, but about weaving together the narratives of place, material, and community. The lessons learned from Gwangju will continue to inform our work, as we strive to create spaces that are not only beautiful and functional but also sustainable and meaningful.

Atelier LUMA

In the summer of 2022, Assemble, BC, and Atelier LUMA were in the latter stages of the Lot 8 project, a renovation of Le Magasin Electrique, a large industrial building within the Parc des Ateliers, LUMA Arles’s contemporary art and creative campus. During a project meeting, we realized that Pai Hyungmin, the Director of the 5th Gwangju Folly, had contacted all three practices separately to inquire about our separate participation. It is still quite rare to find three practices collaborating on one project in architecture, but it is rarer still that a curator halfway across the world would include these three practices on his shortlist. Perhaps we saw this as an omen, or perhaps we hadn’t quite had enough of each other. In truth, over the prior few years, we had combined our complementary approaches to test at scale how a bioregional approach could be applied to an entire building. It was this complementary combination of practices that compelled us to jump onto a Zoom call together and pitch Hyungmin our interest in entering the project as a trio. Although complementary, Assemble, BC, and Atelier LUMA each see things through slightly different lenses. At Atelier LUMA, we have been pioneering what has come to be dubbed a bioregional approach. We investigate and sift through the many cultural and environmental layers that make up a specific place. Through design, we aim to give undervalued resources new purposes, creating new connections such as between the farmer and architect or the craftsperson and university laboratory. Finally, these materials and designs are confronted with reality through real-world implementations. Three members of the Atelier joined the Gwangju Folly team: Daniel Bell, Henna Burney, and Sandra Revuelta Albero. Henna and Daniel, with their respective product design and architecture backgrounds, brought years of experience developing the Atelier methodology to this new Korean context. As the project progressed, they were joined by Sandra, who engaged in both architectural and material research and played a key role during the initial testing of the use of oyster shells in construction materials. Henna played a key role in developing a number of materials and was also joined, for shorter periods, by other members of the Atelier. These included Tiago Almeida, a designer and carpenter, who assisted with the algae-pressed panel and furniture design, and Axelle Gisserot, a textile designer, who assisted with the carpet design. The Atelier’s role in Eco Hanok straddled two key areas. On the one hand, developing, in close collaboration with Assemble, BC, and our Korean partners, the project’s conceptual framework. On the other hand, developing the material research, in close collaboration with BC Materials and other regional partners, so that the project could implement and demonstrate how a bioregional approach to architecture and design might look in the Gwangju context.

Chosun University Department Architectectural Engineering Kim Hyeong Ki

Professor Kim Hyeong Ki at Chosun University participated and advised on material development, construction, and structural engineering for Eco Hanok and an early Ito Toyo geocrete project. His contributions to material composition, construction, and structure were crucial in discussions with BC Materials and Professor Kanada at the Tokyo University of the Arts. Kim has been teaching construction materials at Chosun University since 2013. His expertise is in the circular and recycling of construction materials. His research focuses on developing concrete and mortar using inorganic by-products like shell lime, construction waste, and slag. He became involved in Re:Folly during its early stages by consulting on Ito Toyo’s early geocrete shell. Kim has long felt that relying solely on technical logic and economic feasibility limits the expansion of circular construction materials. Participating in Re:Folly brought him great fun and satisfaction. He hopes that the Re:Folly projects can serve as a catalyst for diversifying and expanding construction materials in Korea.

Chosun University Department Architectural Engineering Graduate Students: Abel Shiferaw, Gebremicael Liyew, Minwuye Mesfin, Chun Sangmin

Abel Shiferaw, Gebremicael Liyew, Minwuye Mesfin, and Chun Sangmin are doctoral students in the Laboratory on Construction and Building Materials at Chosun University’s Department of Architectural Engineering. They conducted durability and strength tests on the lime bricks used in Eco Hanok and helped secure recycled aggregates. The three international students from Ethiopia played important roles in coordinating with Assemble, BC, and LUMA. They also collaborated on creating a shell bench during the Material Workshop program held at Eco Hanok in November 2023. Chun Sangmin, with his experience working at a construction company, helped prepare the materials and tools needed for each experiment and production. The students’ participation alongside international architects and researchers was a valuable experience in charting their career paths.

University of Seoul TAD Lab

Led by Professor Yoon Jung Won, TAD Lab at the Department of Architecture, University of Seoul, is an architecture lab with a focus on transdisciplinary architectural design. TAD Lab supported and conducted material development, application research, material experiments, and supply related to Eco Hanok and Urushi Shell. In 2023, graduate students Bang Yoo Seop and Choi Seok Won participated in the Eco Hanok production workshop, assisting in the kelp panel production experiment. TAD Lab takes a multidisciplinary approach to project-based architectural design and explores ways to influence the physical environment, social relations, and ecological systems. The main research areas include recycled materials, smart materials, and eco-friendly biomaterials. Since 2014, the lab has focused on related technologies and integrated applications of design-build processes. Since 2017, TAD Lab has been conducting prototyping experiments for various architectural elements using 3D printing acquiring patents and design rights. Through its participation in Re:Folly, the lab has broadened its interest and network to include traditional and regional materials, expanding its area of research and experimentation.

Goryeong Rooftile Co.

Goryeong Rooftile Co. is the top company in Korea specializing in giwa, the traditional Korean clay tile, having produced and supplied tiles for palaces, temples, and major buildings for 72 years. The company has automated all processes using cutting-edge facilities and has developed new types of tiles through technological innovation, such as seismic-resistant giwa. They have led the quality standards of clay tiles in Korea and have been recognized for their performance-certified and innovative products. The pioneering use of abalone shell glaze on giwa was a significant challenge even for a seasoned expert in glaze development like Manager Kim Tae Hyung at Goryeong Rooftile Technology Center. The process posed difficulties such as the dust and smell from the shell powder and the large amounts of foam from the mixing of organic and inorganic materials. The foam interfered with the adhesion of the glaze to the tile body and caused the shell and glaze to separate after firing. However, the right ratio for the glaze and firing was eventually identified for production and supply. The finished roof turned the difficult memories into a joyful experience.

Dream Lime

Dream Lime, established in 2003 by CEO Kim Chang Kyung, is a leading company that produces an expansive line of hygiene and cosmetic products utilizing cockle shells from the Yeosu. Kim Chang Kyung and Technology Director Shin Hee Jung have dedicated over 20 years to shell research and production. Cockle shells are a natural source of calcium and have remarkable antibacterial effects against E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. The shells are cleaned of salt, moss, and debris without using chemicals, then finally milled into nanometer-sized particles to develop hygiene products. Oyster shells were initially set to be used in Eco Hanok but lacked a proper supply, distribution, and processing system. These issues were resolved through Dream Lime’s cockle shell recycling system. In the production of Eco Hanok’s shell bricks, tile glaze, and plaster, Dream Lime steadily provided shell lime, taking on costs from inevitable errors that occurred in the development of shell lime materials. Much of the project was made possible with the help of many people including Professor Yoon Jung Won at the University of Seoul as well as Park Ki Chan and Lee Young Min of Urban Society.

Sejin Plus

Sejin Plus was established as a social enterprise based on a clothing business in Changsin-dong. Since 2018, the company has focused on producing and manufacturing eco-friendly panels made from textile waste. Sejin Plus is currently the supplier of fiber panels to public institutions and non-profit organizations. Through continuous research and development, Sejin Plus works to improve fire resistance, insulation, and sound absorption properties, producing fiber panels that can replace traditional construction materials. The production process involves no harmful adhesives or additives. Raw materials from discarded textiles are made into plush, which is then heated, compressed, fiber panels. In November 2023, Sejin Plus conducted the first test production for the Eco Hanok kelp panels at its Jincheon factory. Working with Yoon Jung Won at the University of Seoul, and Seo Tae Wook of RAMT, they created jigs for the kelp panels. They conducted further production tests with Henna Burney from Atelier LUMA and Bang Yooseop and Choi Seok Won at the University of Seoul, where they faced problems such as the jig bending due to the high-temperature steam released by the brown algae and water mixture, and the weight and sharp edges of the jig also causing the Teflon on the conveyor to tear multiple times. Afterward, additional R&D was necessary due to the differences in specifications and material properties compared to those of fiber panels. Sejin Plus consulted clothing press machine manufacturers based in the Dongdaemun market and even considered making a heat-and-cold machine with RAMT. These attempts were ultimately unsuccessful due to technical and budget issues. Despite the failure to implement the panels, the trials and errors were a significant process, that will contribute to future successes.

Claymax

Claymax specializes in modern cement-free, highstrength earth bricks. For Eco Hanok, Claymax handled the entire process of producing lime bricks, from raw material deliveries to production, curing, strength testing, and shipping. There were problems, such as the hydration reaction of the raw material mix due to differences in the timing of raw material production and delivery. However, the skilled technicians of Claymax quickly addressed the issue and supplied the lime bricks on time. Located in Jecheon, Claymax develops sustainable construction materials and produces rainwater infiltration storage systems for natural circulation. This eco-friendly company and its team of experts have numerous patents for its world-leading high-strength earth concrete technology developed through national research projects and experimental production. Claymax produces earth construction materials for architecture, cultural heritage restoration, landscaping, and civil engineering. In promoting a sustainable environment, it integrates natural materials into everyday life.

Hongik Humans

Various products using abalone shells are produced at the abalone shell resource center operated by Hongik Humans. The main products include traditional Korean mother-of-pearl materials, known for their iridescent finish, and abalone shell calcium supplements. The abalone shells used in the research and development of the Eco Hanok plaster come from the clean waters of Wando as byproducts of farmed true abalone. These shells have traditionally been the primary material for lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl. However, due to changes in the marine environment, the abalone industry has shifted towards early harvesting, making it difficult to maintain this tradition. However, adapting to these industry changes, the shift from flat mother-ofpearl to fine granular mother-of-pearl will significantly contribute to expanding the market for recycled abalone shell products.

Stuga House Kim Gap Bong

Led by CEO Kim Gap Bong, Stuga House has a wide understanding of diverse wooden structures ranging from traditional hanok to Western building methods. Stuga House commands a wide and closeknit network of design and construction partners. The original state of Eco Hanok was extremely dire. The key to Stuga House’s success was finding partner teams to tackle its myriad challenges within the short construction schedule. Kim Gap Bong first partnered with the master carpenter Jo Jae Ryang of Song Ryeon Jae to address the termite and moisture damages left unattended for years. Urban Society was brought in to handle construction and communication responsibilities with Assemble, BC, and Atelier LUMA, who helped with special materials like shell lime and the technical specifications. Song Ryeong Jae and Urban Society collaborated to kickstart the project by refurbishing the hanok’s timber frame. Kim also ensured that the teams working with Urban Society coordinated their roles and schedules, moving the project forward in an efficient manner. Eco Hanok is a result of the collective effort of a diverse array of special teams.

Urban Society

Led by Lee Young Min and Park Ki Chan, Urban Society is a social enterprise that seeks to be a social placemaker. For three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, it was selected as an outstanding social enterprise by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Urban Society specializes in projects addressing social issues such as Minerva University’s campus, Seoul Mental Health Integration Center, and the EV charging station at Shinpung Rest Stop. With a belief that, rather than destroying to build from scratch, cities should preserve their existing landscape while adding another layer of time, Urban Society is dedicated to regeneration and restoration. Eco Hanok embodies Urban Society’s diverse achievements of the past decade by striving to minimize energy and waste and to harmonize with nature, even in small details like roof tiles and door handles. The reborn Eco Hanok, created from marine waste, involved overlapping processes within a short period. With the dedication and cooperation of many skilled builders, technicians, and craftspeople, the project ran smoothly and resulted in a truly special space. Witnesses of the revival of a once-abandoned hanok were in awe. Everybody on the team gained immense satisfaction when neighborhood locals told us that they wanted to live in Eco Hanok.

Song Ryeong Jae Jo Jae Ryang

“The greatest challenge in remodeling an old hanok is to secure a safe, sound structure while simultaneously taking design into account. Elements of the original structure—its size, condition, and resilience—have a consequential impact on the remodeled hanok’s lifespan as well as the harmony of the old and the new. This is because present approaches and construction standards differ significantly from when the hanok was first built. This is the starting point of the carpenter’s work. Upon close examination of the original hanok, the bearing wall on the left front side had badly subsided and the main structural components were severely damaged by termites and corrosion. Most of the other undamaged components were too small to be reused due to deformation from the roof load. To compensate for the weak wooden structure, steel structural reinforcement was necessary. We screwed laser-cut steel plates onto the wooden components to counteract deformation, bending, and crumpling. Steel beams were installed at the top of the ridge, and custom steel fittings were welded at the junctions of the ridge and eaves. These were then bolted to the eaves to create a robust triangular roof structure, with the end of the roof connected to the four corners of the eaves, thus completing the overall structural reinforcement. As we lifted the foundation stones and straightened the columns, flowers began to bloom around the neighborhood; from the flowerpots on the roadside, in the neighbors’ gardens, along brick walls on the way to our regular restaurant. I watched the pink camellias in the front yard of Eco Hanok bloom and then wither. I spent my spring in Gwangju. I thank everyone who took part in the work.”

Hyunjin Construction

Hyunjin Construction specializes in plaster work for cultural heritage sites in Korea. For Eco Hanok, Hyunjin was challenged with new plastering techniques and recipes. Although always engaged in experimental methods, working with spirulina with earth plaster for the common area was a significant challenge. After numerous experiments, they achieved the desired color but encountered issues with water infiltration which changed the spirulina color. Consulting with BC and Atelier LUMA, they succeeded in restoring the original color but were not entirely successful. One significant finding was that the oyster and abalone shell plaster, provided that the base was solid, proved to be a scalable material. The sponge technique that revealed specks of shell reflected the iridescent light of the materials and enhanced the space. It was also a valuable experience in the project to see the European team set aside its original methods and respect the expertise of the Korean team to collaborate and adapt to the local climate. Notably, the spirulina finish on the bathroom walls was replaced with a different finish at our request. This turns out to be a critical choice for long-term structure maintenance. In introducing Hyunjin Construction to new plastering techniques, Eco Hanok was a truly significant project.

Ilsin Handicrafts Kim Do Hyun

Ilsin Handicrafts is a workshop specializing in traditional window and door construction in the restoration of hanoks and cultural heritages. For Eco Hanok, woodworker Kim Do Hyun, using Korean pine, repaired the windows and created new ones. The latticework used pine dried for over two years while the frames used pine naturally dried for over five years. The repair of existing windows involved 80% manual labor and 20% machine work; new windows were made with 70% machine work and 30% manual labor. Brass instead of iron was used for the traditional window hardware to prevent rust. Accommodating both traditional and modern wooden windows, Eco Hanok openings were designed for the best possible insulation.

Hanok Sarang Cho Soo-yeon

Hanok Sarang, literally meaning “love of hanok,” is a workshop led by Cho Soo-yeon who has 50 years of experience. She works with four other crafts persons: two with 45 years of experience, one with 18, and a tailor with 10. Hanok Sarang specializes in traditional hanji papering and has long participated in important traditional projects like palaces and cultural heritage sites. Cho Soo-yeon gradually became interested in Eco Hanok, adjusting her busy schedule to participate, even leading a public program. As the Hanok Sarang team learned about the story of Eco Hanok—the process of making the bricks and tiles, various plaster experiments, and hanji-making—they worked with a deep appreciation of the project’s purpose. Even for these seasoned crafts persons, who have long worked on many prestigious projects, it was a moment to reflect on the environment, on the connection between the environment and our home. It was a moment to love the hanok even more.

October Kim Studio

October Kim Studio employed ceramic technology to create a special building material for Eco Hanok. The tiles for the fence wall, chimney, garden well, and bathroom floor were made by reglazing old giwa using a glaze mixed with oyster and abalone shells from the Gwangju region. In line with Re:Folly’s promotion of local materials and recycled resources, October Kim brought a unique aesthetic to the project. Despite the difference in the scale of space and materials, architecture and craft share the common goal of functionality and beauty through material properties. A craftsperson, dealing with relatively smaller scales, orchestrates every step in the process, declaring meaning to both process and result. This characteristic gives craft its human identity. October Kim gained fulfillment by lending his hands to Eco Hanok.

Garagegage

Garagegage creates products using everyday materials that are practical, capable of mass production, and simplified in their manufacturing processes to be available at an affordable price. One of these materials is birch plywood. It has an attractive grain, excellent durability, and is used to make furniture like storage cabinets, bookshelves, chairs, and tables. Leftover scraps are turned into small items. Birch sticks serve as a fundamental material that can be used to create anything; they are lightweight, do not take up much space, and are recyclable. Furniture made from birch sticks by Garagegage is light, sturdy, and embodies a minimalist lifestyle that Garagegage aims to promote. An example of this philosophy and approach is the small kitchen furniture for the Eco Hanok project. Atelier LUMA tested circular algae panels, embedding them into plywood to create furniture that is both light and sturdy, modest yet beautiful.

STUDIO OHYUKYOUNG

STUDIO OHYUKYOUNG is a design studio that plans, designs, and makes fabric-based products and artwork. Working with designer Choi Ri Ra, who studied traditional clothing and textile methods, STUDIO OHYUKYOUNG implemented the indigo-dyed quilted carpet proposed by Atelier LUMA in the Eco Hanok. Indigo dyeing, one of Korea’s most beautiful craft techniques, was handled by the traditional natural dyer Hong Lucca. To create a large carpet measuring 202°ø319cm, they arranged and combined triple-dyed cotton fabric in a formulated pattern to the desired size. The design was inspired by the oysters and seaweed materials in Eco Hanok and was created in collaboration with 40 citizens over a series of four public workshops. It is the kind of collaborative work that reflects the spirit and culture of Korean craftsmanship.

Jangjibang

Jangjibang is a traditional hanji workshop based in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Starting from greatgrandfather Jang Kyung-soon in the late 1800s, the workshop has been producing hanji in the traditional way for over 140 years over four generations. Jang’s expertise was passed down to Jang Yong Hoon (National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 117), and then to the current representative, Jang Sung-woo (Gyeonggi Province Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 16). Jangjibang’s hanji is characterized by its smoothness, achieved through a meticulous paper refining process. Jangjibang mixed dried and ground sea mustard, kelp, and spirulina provided by Atelier LUMA into the traditional hanji-making materials to be used in Eco Hanok. The finished hanji mixture was evenly applied to the cleaned window and door frames. The paper retains the texture and natural fragrance of the algae particles.

TechCapsule

With public interest as its ultimate goal, TechCapsule is a spatial media content startup pioneering new markets for spatial assets accumulated and distributed through digital methods. Hwang Jie-Eun, Shin Jong-hyuk, Lee Da-young, and Bang Na-young from TechCapsule were responsible for documenting the transformation of Eco Hanok, from its abandoned state to its rebirth as a new Folly. Though an experimental project, it was a genuine, practical architectural project with significance within the urban fabric of the residential neighborhood. To capture the context before and after the project, TechCapsule documented three stages: the original hanok, the recycled wooden structure, and the completion with newly developed materials. TechCapsule hopes that these digital records will serve as a lens reflecting the past, present, and future values of the project.

ANPARK

ANPARK is a landscape design and construction studio led by Ban Hyungjin and Jung Jooyoung. Established in 2019, ANPARK works on everyday interior and exterior spaces. Their projects range from large public parks to medium and small spaces like office and commercial facilities as well as private gardens. They give lectures to students and the general public to share the importance of landscape architecture. ANPARK was responsible for detailed landscape design, on-site construction, and management in both Eco Hanok and Urushi Shell. Ban Hyungjin coordinated and supervised the landscape work according to the basic direction agreed upon with VNH, Assemble, BC, and Atelier LUMA. In the spirit of circularity, ANPARK focused on recycling on-site materials as well as using local materials. In the summer heat, Kim Jae Hyun and Hong Ji Min experimented with various forms to ensure the details for the tile paving were properly executed.

VNH Shin Dayeong and Lee Sanghoon

VNH is a design studio that explores landscape and public space. Having gained extensive experience in diverse landscape design projects in the United States, Shin Dayeong and Lee Sanghoon established VNH in 2024. For Re:Folly and Gwangju Folly Promenade, it was the first time that landscape design played a crucial role in Gwangju Folly. VNH was responsible for the landscape design and public programs for Eco Hanok and Urushi Shell. Eco Hanok garden was designed with respect for the site’s existing context, aligning with the overall theme of regeneration and circularity. VNH carefully reused on-site materials, preserving parts of the existing concrete yard and repurposing old ondol stones as stepping stones. Stones of various sizes found on-site were transformed into steps connecting the hanok garden and alleyways. The landscape of Urushi Shell was designed to blend seamlessly with the surroundings, allowing the Shell to be part of the urban context. Exemplifying the public values of VNH, Eco Hanok garden was designed for the comfort of the neighborhood and the entrance path of Urushi Shell serves as a resting area for the public parking lot.