Forum marks 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic ties, exploring architectural discourse
The 2026 Korea Herald Architecture Talk will bring together Korean and French perspectives on public architecture, with renowned French architect and urbanist Dominique Perrault as the keynote speaker.
The forum will be held at 3 p.m. on April 7 at the Ewha Campus Complex at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.
Marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and France, the fourth edition of the annual architecture forum will take place under the theme “Architecture Beyond Borders — Dialogue with Dominique Perrault.” Philippe Bertoux, ambassador of France to Korea, will deliver congratulatory remarks.
The forum will explore dialogue between Korean and French architectural communities, with a particular focus on public architecture.
Highlights of the event include a 50-minute presentation by Perrault in which the architect will introduce several of his major projects and discuss how architecture is crucial in building public spaces for people.
The globally renowned architect’s recent projects include the Villejuif Gustave-Roussy Station in Paris. Completed in 2025, the design merges open public space with the station's enclosed infrastructure, challenging the perception of large transport hubs as dark or void spaces.
A major ongoing project in Seoul is Lightwalk, the Gangnam International Transit Center. The underground transportation station will house high-speed train lines and subway stations in Seoul. Beyond a transportation hub, the architect stressed that the underground complex will also serve as a public space, permeated with natural light.
The architect’s presentation will be followed by a dialogue between Perrault and Lee Sang-hun, emeritus professor of architecture at Konkuk University, titled “Shaping cities and public space in Korea and France.”
Lee is an architectural scholar who has written extensively on Korean urbanism and architecture, including books such as “Seoul Urbanism.” Lee holds a Ph.D. in the history, theory and criticism of architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and studied architecture at Seoul National University.
The dialogue between the two architects will be moderated by Kim Hoo-ran, editor-at-large at The Korea Herald.
The event will also coincide with the 140th anniversary of Ewha Womans University. Lee Hyang-sook, president of the university, will introduce the university's history and Perrault, whose design of the ECC has become one of the campus’s landmark architectural spaces.
The ECC, completed in 2006, became a key moment in introducing Perrault’s architectural philosophy to Korean audiences, integrating architecture with the landscape through a monumental underground campus valley.
Inaugurated in 2023, The Korea Herald Architecture Talk is an annual forum that fosters architectural discourse in Korea by addressing timely themes in architecture and urbanism.
Previous editions have explored themes such as “Space for All,” “More than APT,” and “Evolving Hanok,” drawing audiences ranging from architects and scholars to students and members of the public interested in the built environment.
For online registration, please complete the form at the link below. Admission is free: https://shorturl.at/muKqD
yunapark@heraldcorp.com
