[DIALOGUE] What are These Structural Experiments for? | Kim Jaekyung + JK-AR
photographed by
Roh Kyung
materials provided by
JK-AR
edited by
Kim Bokyoung
SPACE October 2025 (No. 695)
Timeline of the House for Rejuvenation
DIALOGUE Kim Jaekyung professor, Hanyang University × Hyundai Kim professor, Ewha Womans University × Yang Soo-in principal, Lifethings
An Exaggerated Reinterpretation of the Traditional Timber Joinery: The Pavilion of Contemplation
Kim Jaekyung: The Pavilion of Contemplation is one of the projects in the Tree Series on which I have been working consistently in recent years. Following the House of Three Trees (2018, covered in SPACE No. 620) and the Pavilion of Floating Lights (2022, covered in SPACE No. 662), the Pavilion of Contemplation is the next project in the series. By way of continuation, the next prospective project series I am developing is called the Isotropic Tree, which is more expandable and versatile than the Tree Series.
Before working on the Pavilion of Contemplation, I had used plywood, and this was my first time using CLT. To use plywood as a structural element, it needs to be 30mm-thickness or more. However, when they are the same thickness, plywood is more economical and lighter in weight than CLT. For the House of Three Trees and the Pavilion of Floating Lights, the framework members were assembled piece by piece on site, much like handcrafting. However, for the Pavilion of Contemplation, installation had to be completed in three days, so they were prefabricated as six pieces at the factory and assembled on site. The existing structure of the Tree Series presented challenges in terms of structural calculations and fire resistance, which the Isotropic Tree aims to address.
Hyundai Kim: It is interesting that materials such as CLT and plywood do not possess the same physical properties as classical and traditional wood. Traditional wood member is a linear material, whereas these materials are more like concrete-like wood in board form. Therefore, it seemed unnecessary to insist on using wood for the Tree Series structure. Just as wood is processed as boards, any number of other materials could ...
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Kim Jaekyung
Kim Jaekyung combines research, teaching, and design practice to develop an architectural approach that merges tradition with contemporary technology. As founder of JK-AR, he has completed projects such as House of Three Trees (2019), Pavilion of Floating Lights (2022), and House for Rejuvenation (2025) . At Hanyang University’s CoDe Lab, he promotes digital craftsmanship and has supervised over 50 master’s and doctoral graduates.
Hyundai Kim
Hyundai Kim is professor of architecture at Ewha Womans University. His research and practice, framed under 'Transdisciplinary Tectonics in Transition’, explore the formal correlations across architecture, urbanism, and landscape. He received his B.S. in architectural engineering from Yonsei University and his M.Arch. from Princeton University. His work has been recognised by the Red Dot Design Award (2025), The International Architecture Awards (2018, 2024), the Korean Architecture Award (2022), and the iF Design Award (2021), and has been featured in The Financial Times, Dezeen, Divisare, Architect Magazine, and SPACE.
Yang Soo-in
Yang Soo-in is a Seoul-based designer and public artist. His works range from buildings and public artworks to branding and advertising. He has been widely published internationally, including in The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, MARK and he has been awarded a Prix Ars Electronica, a Red Dot Design Award and an iF Design Award. He was selected as one of the ‘Modern-Day Leonardos’ by the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry in 2006. He was an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (2005 – 2011) where he received his master of architecture degree with highest honour.
