Unjong-ga (雲從街). This is the name for the area around Jongno, including Cheongjin-dong in Seoul today. It comes from the fact that during the Joseon Dynasty, there was a permanent market called Sijeonhaengnang, which was built by the government, and people and goods would flock there like clouds. Nowadays, it is difficult to find the old appearance due to the dense forest of high-rise buildings, but this place is different.

Right next to the rectangular high-rise building constructed using the curtain wall (covering the exterior walls of a building with glass) method, there is a pile of foundation stones used by our ancestors, and beyond the glass floor between the main office entrances, you can see traces that you would only see in a museum, such as seashells and the site of a house.360 degree photo) On one side of the wall, there is a Joseon Dynasty 600The surface of the earth, which contains the entire history of the past, is also on display. This is the office building, ‘Grand Seoul’, where the present and the past coexist.

◆ Traces of old Joseon Dynasty found throughout modern offices

Grand Seoul is Seoul Cheongjin 12~16As an urban environmental improvement project to redevelop the Earth 2013year 12It was built in the month of May. The land area is 10,0004225㎡, total floor area 17only5537㎡, 7th basement floor to above ground 24It is a large office building constructed in three floors. GSerection(006360)The National Pension Service has taken over the de facto business and owns the building.

Originally, this was the location of Unjongga, the 'economic center' of the Joseon Dynasty. As the market halls lined the area, many wealthy merchants and middle-class people working in the nearby 'political center', Yukjo Street, lived in this area.

The size and scale of the houses were so great that they surpassed the noble houses of Bukchon, so it was also called 'Buchon (富村)' in comparison to Bukchon. There was also an alley called 'Pimatgil' where commoners would avoid the processions of high-ranking officials.

This point is also clearly revealed in the process of building Grand Seoul.

2009The results of the cultural heritage excavation survey conducted in conjunction with the demolition work in 2008 were found below the surface. 4~6m Joseon Dynasty in depth 600A large number of remains (traces of old buildings) were discovered, including building sites, wells, and roads that had been piled up for years. After much thought, GSThe construction was designed to preserve as much of the remaining traces as possible after the excavation of cultural assets.

Kim Dong Sam GSConstruction Commercial FacilityPMTeam G&M Estate Manager said, “In order to preserve the past as much as possible, we installed glass walls and glass pillars so that the ground floor’s house sites are visible, and we displayed the history and soil layers of the Cheongjin District on the walls to reveal the old remains as much as possible,” adding, “We thought that was a way to increase the value of the building.”

The building design also reflects aspects of the past. The first floor sales facility is designed to resemble a traditional alley, with stores on both sides of the road, and the basement1~2The retail space on the first floor also used the Pimatgil motif to implement traditional lattice patterns and roof tiles in the interior. The exterior of the building was also based on the curtain wall method, but the latticework of Hanok windows was revealed between the glass windows.

Kim Seong-gon GSConstruction Commercial FacilityPMTeam Architect Deputy Director said, “The lattice pattern on the exterior of Grand Seoul not only shows the beauty of tradition, but also has the effect of saving energy,” and added, “We held regular design meetings with our partner companies to harmonize tradition and modernity.”

◆ “Rent is No. 1 in Seoul”… Almost No Vacancies

As it is located in the heart of the old Unjongga and the central business district, the view around the building is also excellent.

If you climb up to the helipad on the rooftop, you can see the various sights of downtown Seoul, including Namsan, Euljiro office buildings, Jonggak Tower, and apartment complexes in the distance.360 degree photo) Only the tenants' employees are allowed to access the rooftop.

Grand Seoul is also considered one of the most expensive buildings in Seoul. According to a survey of monthly rents for office buildings in Seoul in the second quarter of this year conducted by Remax Wide Partners, a building specialist, Grand Seoul rents are 3.3per square meter 14only2100The most expensive in won.

The rent is high, but the vacancy rate is almost zero at 2%. Grand Seoul is divided into Tower 1 and Tower 2. GSIncluding construction, Hana Bank, Dongyang Life Insurance, Nine Tree, SKMaterials, Emirates Airlines, and the Finnish Embassy are among the companies housed here.

Vice President Kim Dong-sam said, “We are working with Mori Building, a large Japanese developer (real estate development company) GS“The construction company is jointly forming a joint corporation, G&M Estate, and is responsible for the operation of the entire building,” he said. “The office occupancy rate is also higher than that of other buildings.57“%) is highly preferred by companies because of its space efficiency,” he said.

[Reporter Kim Soo-hyun salmon@chosunbiz.com]

[Reporter Choi Moon-hyeok fuerwahrheit@chosunbiz.com]

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