INTO THE WORLD OF “AGORA”
The collaboration with DaeWha Kang Design is inspired by the community of digital creators who connect and spend time together in Spatial.
In this respect, architecture derives value from human beings who find meaningful shared experiences within it. It can be intriguing to imagine how the timeless values of in-real-life architecture might translate to this digital realm.
Much of our lives are becoming digital–it is inevitable that the design of our digital spaces is becoming increasingly important. This notion raises the question: how can we find the same power of place in the digital world that we see in physical architecture? This core topic preoccupied Daewha Kang and Jinha Lee as they developed their designs for “Agora.”
“I felt that the space we aimed to create should attract those who come to make it their own–this way it might accumulate meaning and significance, just like in the physical world,” said Kang. “‘Agora’ should welcome artwork, sculptures, and stories. This meant creating a space that exudes calmness, order, and generosity of scale.”
Simultaneously, Kang and Lee felt the “Agora” space should instill a feeling of wonder and delight. It should feel like a place where important things are kept and significant relationships are made. It should bring forth a sense of gravity, timelessness, mystery, and a unique expression of architectural excellence.
DESIGNING “AGORA” AND THE FUTURE IT HOLDS
The inspiration behind the design “Agora” is partially derived from Kang’s travels and study of ancient temples around the world. Whether in the Mayan ruins of Coba, the Angkor Temples of Bayon, or the Egyptian Pyramids, he witnessed incredible architectural expressions derived from the combination of simple forms.
“Simple squares and cubes were collected and conjoined to create soaring vaults and intricately detailed corbels,” said Kang. “The primal expression of these forms has beautiful resonance with our digital, voxelated world.”
When the two put their heads together “[they] ended up coming up with a layout that resembles ancient temples and started reinterpreting them with the lens of emerging digital societies,” said Lee.
The interior segments of “Agora” are designed to feel grand but sheltering. The two saw an opportunity to create greater scale by adding an outside section; a feeling of floating in a great celestial grove. This doesn’t come as a surprise as Lee avidly meditates and deeply enjoys spending time in nature. The outdoor corridors induce a different experience than the architecture, art, and storytelling–they give people a chance to be alone or to reflect quietly. The softly floating trees add to the sense of natural serenity.
“Agora” is constructed with profound intention and both Lee and Kang eagerly look forward to witnessing how people will use the space. How will they find ways to create shared meaning and collective identity within its halls? Time will tell and it feels as if the best is yet to come.
CONNECT WITH THE MINDS BEHIND “AGORA”
DaeWha Kang is an experienced, intentional, and exquisite architect who builds anything from art museums, pavilions, and churches, to concert halls in the physical world. His studio’s philosophy is “Beauty Built with Wisdom.” In physical architecture, DaeWha creates spaces with rich, natural materials and intricate details, crafting his unique style.
Jinha Lee is the Co-Founder of Spatial and a highly experienced interaction designer and engineer exploring future experiences at the boundary of the physical and digital world. He is inspired to leverage computation's power to improve how people collaborate, learn, create, and play. His work has been awarded, patented, exhibited at museums, featured in major media, released as mass-market products, and presented at top academic conferences such as TED.
Connect and share your experiences in "Agora" by tagging them on Twitter @ daewhakang @ Jinha_io @ Spatialxr and on Instagram @ daewhakangdesign @ jinha_io @ spatial_io. For more on their past, present, and future creations, visit www.Daewha.com and http://www.leejinha.com/
