The Daegu JS Hospital Office Building, located in Jisan-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu, Korea, presents a bold and distinctive façade that stands out among the surrounding commercial buildings.
Its architectural design uses offset box-like volumes, creating depth and variation in the building’s front elevation.
Large windows are strategically positioned to allow ample natural light into the interior while framing dynamic views of the city.
The material palette, dominated by muted gray brick and glass, strikes a balance between modern sophistication and a grounded, timeless appearance.
The recessed and protruding volumes, along with vertical glazing, emphasize the building’s height and create a sense of rhythm.
On the ground level, a generous glass frontage invites pedestrians inside, enhancing visual connectivity between the interior and the street.
This map highlights the project's location in Jisan-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu, Korea, positioned along Cheongsuro and in close proximity to Hwanggeum Station. The site benefits from excellent accessibility via main roads and public transportation, while also enjoying a natural backdrop with Muhaksan Mountain nearby.
Here’s the translation with ` ` at the end of each sentence and two `
` where the original has extra line spacing.
---
The site is located where buildings on both sides conceal the façade, leaving only the front elevation visible.
In this setting, architecture often fills the restricted program area without restraint, causing the façade to take on a flat, two-dimensional feel.
Urban architecture, which should be able to breathe and interact with its surroundings, often focuses solely on projecting its face onto the street.
Thus, we constantly confront two intertwined concerns of urban architectural context: artistic expression and economic feasibility.
While we may find answers through repeated attempts to address both, in most cases the pursuit of higher density remains the dominant thought, leaving much for architects to challenge.
This project, too, demands both expectations and effort, requiring architects to always engage in creative deliberation.
As with previous works, the design here attempts to introduce voids into the façade to break its uniformity, revealing the building’s vitality through volumetric interplay.
The transition from a flat façade to a three-dimensional depth is the moment when the architecture’s layered meaning begins to emerge.
Delivering architectural messages in this way embodies values of social publicness.
Buildings, once completed, have a lasting influence on their surroundings, carrying positive ownership of public space.
This is the sustainable architecture philosophy advocated by KYK Architects.
It is, without doubt, the architect’s role.
For the client—a pair of specialized doctors—this long-prepared private project finally reached execution, bringing both excitement and cautious expectation.
From the beginning, the project was clearly one that an architect should embrace wholeheartedly.
In regional contexts where buildings are often overdesigned for show or simply to command higher rent, architectural inequality can be addressed only when both the client’s will and the architect’s sincerity align.
The moment clients begin to consider different possibilities and new approaches with their architects, true collaboration begins.
It is the role of the architect to help ensure such choices lead to no regrets.
Without doubt, that is the architect’s mission.
Kwon Young Geun
Principal Architect
From this elevated viewpoint, the building stands out as a distinct architectural presence amid a dense urban fabric, framed naturally by surrounding foliage.
The backdrop of rolling green mountains contrasts with the linear cityscape, enhancing the layered depth of the view.
This perspective emphasizes the building’s prominent façade design and its integration within the commercial block while still allowing it to retain a sense of individuality.
The left image captures the building at dusk, where the interplay of artificial lighting and the textured brick facade creates a warm contrast against the deepening blue sky.
The right image showcases the structure’s clean geometry and extensive glass surfaces, reflecting the bright daylight and the surrounding urban environment.
The ground-floor view reveals a clean, modern façade where textured stone cladding meets expansive glass panels, creating a refined balance between solidity and transparency.
The recessed entrance and overhanging upper volumes form a sheltered approach, while the interplay of lines and shadows emphasizes depth and architectural precision.
The railing is designed to harmonize with the sophisticated gray-toned brick exterior, featuring a horizontal-lined metal guardrail finish. It ensures safety while delivering a clean and refined visual impression, blending seamlessly with the building’s expansive glass façade to create a modern exterior.
The first-floor view features a combination of solid brickwork and expansive glass windows, framed by clean metal railings that guide visitors toward the entrance.
The interplay of textured masonry and reflective glazing creates a modern yet grounded atmosphere, while the railing design offers both safety and a sleek architectural accent.
The parking area’s ceiling is finished with warm-toned wooden slats, creating a refined and welcoming atmosphere despite being a functional, utilitarian space.
The linear pattern of the slats draws the eye toward the entry and exit points, visually elongating the space while also concealing lighting fixtures in a clean, integrated manner.
This design not only enhances the overall aesthetics but also contributes to a more comfortable and less industrial feel compared to exposed concrete or metal ceilings.
From the exterior view, the ceiling seamlessly extends toward the overhanging structure above the parking zone, creating a sense of architectural continuity.
The combination of the wood ceiling, textured stone-like wall finishes, and precisely aligned structural lines results in a parking space that feels like an intentional extension of the building’s design language rather than an afterthought.
Exposed concrete stairwell designed with a focus on structural honesty and spatial clarity.
The uniform grid of form-tie impressions celebrates the raw texture of the concrete, revealing the construction process as an integral part of the aesthetic.
A slender steel handrail and vertical balusters maintain a lightweight visual profile, ensuring safety without compromising openness.
Natural light streams in from the vertical side window, creating shifting patterns of light and shadow that animate the space throughout the day.
This minimalist approach strips away superfluous decoration, allowing material, proportion, and light to define the architectural character.
rooftop garden
The rooftop garden serves as an elevated sanctuary that harmoniously blends architecture with the surrounding landscape.
Its open, expansive terrace provides panoramic views of the city and encircling mountains, enhancing the sense of spatial openness.
Minimalist design elements—such as clean white walls, transparent glass railings, and integrated planter beds—emphasize simplicity while subtly framing nature as part of the architecture.
The layout encourages both social gatherings and quiet reflection, making it a flexible communal space.
By integrating greenery into the rooftop, the design softens the urban environment, improves microclimate comfort, and establishes a visual connection between the built form and its natural context.
