Jaeneung Culture Center (JCC)

The JCC grew out of a wish by JEI Corporation, an education company, to open in Hyehwa-dong, in central Seoul, a new cultural route bringing together the traditional and the modern. It judged Tadao Ando the best architect to design buildings in tune with the cityscape. The centre opened in October 2015.

It consists of two Ando buildings, the JCC Art Center and the JCC Creative Center, set about 100 m apart along a short climb running from the Hyehwa-dong police stand to the Hyehwamun gate (혜화문). Ando meant the two to face each other like brothers.

Both buildings are of exposed mass concrete, which is economical and efficient, and rest on a V-shaped central pillar. Their height is capped by the district plan, which protects the landscape of this historic part of Hyehwa-dong, and Ando sought to make them fit with the neighbouring buildings. The many slanting lines, inside and out, follow the angles of the street that rises to the Hyehwamun gate, and the triangular windows give the façades a rhythm. The guiding idea is the street: anyone strolling through the lanes of Hyehwa-dong should be able to walk into the JCC, and the many windows signal that the place is not closed in on itself.

At the JCC Art Center, a straight outdoor staircase that anyone may climb leads to a courtyard that doubles as the cafe's terrace. In one corner of the ground floor, a spiral staircase goes down to the underground concert hall, which seats 175 and whose acoustics are by Nagata Acoustics. Because the metro runs close by, the hall is built as a box within a box. Its walls are clad in pieces of wood of varying thickness, in contrast with the concrete outside, and hardly any sound reaches the neighbours.

At the JCC Creative Center, which houses offices, the staircases are straight so that circulation stays as simple as possible. Its roof looks out over the low buildings of Hyehwa-dong and, in the distance, Mount Bugaksan, Mount Inwangsan and Mount Namsan.

The JCC Art Center houses a concert hall devoted to classical music and the JCC Museum. The JCC Creative Center, a research and development facility, also has an auditorium, a creative studio and a roof garden.

The centre is open on weekdays from 9am to 6pm. The courtyard of the JCC Art Center, with the cafe terrace, is open to everyone.

An architecture tour lasting about an hour and a half covers the concept, the building techniques, the gallery and the concert hall (backstage included); it is booked by telephone at least a week ahead, for groups of five or more. Parking is scarce: the centre advises coming by public transport.