Architectural Design Portfolio
2025 Spring
M.Arch Studio_3/Slab building
Keywords Reinterpretation, Transformation, Experiential Space, Relational Architecture, Typological Innovation
Location
683, Seongsu-dong 1-ga, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Program
Hotel
“BORING SLAB”
PART 1 (1–2 Weeks): CASE STUDY
Each student selects a single architectural case to study.
They redraw the drawings to analyze the form and compositional system of the building.
The focus is on understanding the relationships between elements in the ground floor plan, section, and elevation of each building.
PART 2 (1–2 Weeks): SITE ANALYSISA shared site model is created, scaled as large as reasonably possible.
Students conduct structural and formal analysis of existing buildings on or near the site.
Urban context, zoning regulations, and codes are thoroughly reviewed.
PART 3 (4–5 Weeks): ITERATION – “Try Like Crazy” Various approaches are tested to explore the relationship between the existing building and the proposed annex.
There is no single correct answer—just make something, reflect, revise, and repeat.
Focus on plans and massing models during this phase to narrow the design direction step by step.
PART 4 (4–5 Weeks): DESIGN DEVELOPMENT Based on the basic massing, the floor plans, sectional relationships, and architectural details are developed.
Consider elements such as openings, materiality, and entry sequences.
PART 5: PRODUCTIONStudents select representation methods and production techniques that best match their concept.
Architecture is ultimately judged by how effectively the idea is communicated and told as a story.
Will you do a rendering? A Photoshop collage? A foam core model?
This studio will place greater emphasis on the depth and clarity of visual expression.
"Dismantle the conventional slab-building floor plan, reorganize it to suit the hotel program, and create a new spatial experience."
Reinterpreting the Slab Building: A Studio Exploration through the Typology of Hotels
The slab building is a typology representative of modernist architecture, characterized by a floor plan composed of single or double-loaded corridors with repetitive units arranged in a linear fashion. Emerging in the early modernist period in response to the demands for efficiency and density, this type has been widely utilized in various functions such as housing, education, and office buildings.
The floor plan of a slab building typically consists of a central corridor flanked by units on one or both sides, featuring a simple composition that maximizes circulation efficiency while systematically dividing spaces. However, this repetitive and function-driven structure has often been criticized for leading to uniformity and monotony.
Although the slab building is a functional and economical structure, its inherent repetitiveness and closed system can suppress architectural diversity, resulting in homogenized environments. Nevertheless, density and efficiency remain crucial issues in contemporary society, and the slab building continues to offer one of the most practical solutions to address such challenges. Rather than accepting or rejecting it through a binary lens, it is essential to explore the latent potential of this form.
This studio aims to dissect the archetype of the slab building, revisit its origins and context, and propose new interpretations that respond to the needs of our time. In particular, the focus will be on reimagining the slab building through the lens of hotel design. As hotels inherently demand repetition and efficiency in their programming, they align well with the qualities of slab buildings. At the same time, the hospitality industry today increasingly values unique experiences and distinctive spatial qualities. Within this context, the studio will explore the slab building’s evolution—reconstructing relationships between units, introducing variations in floor plans, and expanding spatial diversity.