Bucheon R&D Center

OVERVIEW

The main focus of the Bucheon R&D Center began with the question: how should workspaces be structured in the 21st century? The greatest challenge was balancing formal workspaces and informal collaborative spaces. Our proposal conceptualizes two distinct towers—one for formal and the other for informal functions—integrating the concept of a "tower within a tower." The formal workspace adopts a domino-like stacked configuration resembling traditional office layouts, while the informal tower features various collaborative spaces connecting the isolated levels. This design fosters seamless communication between different companies, creating a sustainable work and research environment.

COLLABORATIVE TOWER

The tower's structure reorganizes programs based on security levels, from highest to lowest, placing laboratories requiring high security at the top, workspaces in the middle, and commercial facilities at the base. The workspace is arranged by program size (large, medium, small) into a pyramid shape, with the labs in a box-like form. Between these zones, spaces such as a library and a cafeteria encourage interaction between different work areas. This arrangement establishes unique architectural typologies and distinct identities. Furthermore, the collaborative tower, featuring diverse spaces like terraces, theaters, and meeting rooms, spans all levels, forming an organic, unified environment.

CORE

The placement and configuration of the core played a crucial role in this project. Among central cores, dual-end cores, and eccentric cores, we chose an eccentric core system to provide greater floor plan flexibility. Considering western sunlight, the core was positioned toward the west. When viewed from residential areas, the building mass appears monolithic, with a central window piercing through to eliminate physical and visual separation, connecting public spaces.

PODIUM

The existing site includes an 8-meter height difference between Sosa-ro (main access road) and other levels. To address this, we proposed a podium to overcome the level disparity. The main entry connects the street to the entry plaza and lobby, while the northern side links to parking facilities and the southern side connects to a walking path leading to commercial spaces. The western side aligns with Wonmi-ro, accommodating service entrances and exits. A small existing park is integrated into our proposed park to serve as a rest area for the local community.

FAÇADE

The building envelope consists of glass, metal, and stone. The façade integrates vertical louvers and glass, with the louvers emphasizing the building's verticality, while the informal collaborative spaces are reflected in the external skin, symbolizing their function. Triple Low-E glass and single glazing were chosen for their eco-friendliness and cost-efficiency, supported by an external insulation system to maximize energy efficiency. The rear core area highlights its monolithic character with granite-clad external insulation.