36-Year-Old Korean Re Headquarters Reborn as Office with Concert Hall

Elevation view of the new building under construction in the area of 80 Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. (Provided by Seoul City)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The 36-year-old Korean Reinsurance headquarters building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, will be transformed into a 16-story office and cultural facility equipped with a classical concert hall.

On the 8th, Seoul City held the 7th Urban Planning Committee subcommittee meeting and announced on the 9th that it had approved the revised maintenance plan for the Susong Urban Maintenance-type Redevelopment District 1-7 in Jongno-gu.

The Korean Reinsurance headquarters building located at 80 Susong-dong, Jongno-gu (total floor area 39,357㎡) is a 3 basement to 12 above-ground floor structure where about 1,000 employees work. The building, completed in April 1985, has raised issues such as building safety and urban landscape deterioration over its 36 years. Additionally, the company has faced difficulties in creating a smart work environment due to outdated internal facilities. Consequently, landowners in the area proposed a construction plan including office facilities, neighborhood living facilities, and cultural facilities, which led to the full-scale redevelopment project.

Through review, the maintenance plan was finalized to allow construction with a floor area ratio of up to 800% and a height of up to 70 meters. The redevelopment zone, expanded to approximately 93,000㎡ in total floor area, will feature a new building with 6 basement floors and 16 above-ground floors. Neighborhood living facilities will be located on the low floors adjacent to the ground, and office facilities will be arranged on 14 floors above ground (3rd to 16th floors).

In particular, a classical concert hall with 1,004 seats will be built on the 2nd to 5th floors, and a 300-seat performance hall will be constructed on the 3rd and 4th floors. The Angel Concert Hall (tentative name), a classical concert hall, is planned to be of a scale capable of hosting international performances, considering height and volume to achieve optimal acoustic conditions. Korean Reinsurance plans to establish and operate a cultural foundation under its umbrella as part of its social contribution activities.

Furthermore, Susong Park will be redeveloped into approximately 1,280㎡ to expand the urban park. This park will be linked with the concert hall and adjacent to a public open space, creating an open green space of over 2,000㎡. The architectural plan will be further detailed through a future design competition.

A Seoul City official stated, "Through this review, office functions in downtown Seoul will be maintained and developed, and cultural infrastructure and urban green spaces, which are lacking in Gangbuk, will be expanded, creating a vibrant mixed-use cultural space in the city center." He added, "We plan to develop the Susong-dong area into a new historical and cultural hub by linking it with local historical and cultural assets such as Susong Park, Jogyesa Temple, and Insadong."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.