[Our School Now: Carpenter House]

Q: What conventions or prevailing assumptions in school architecture did you want to challenge through this project?

A: Until now, school architecture has largely remained isolated from its surroundings. The Forest Workshop is significant in that it functions as a channel of communication through space—connecting students, parents, and the surrounding community. The act of making—working with one’s hands—cultivates emotional sensitivity. Extending this process into a space that can also be experienced by local residents expands the role of the school beyond its primary educational function into a broader social role. In this sense, it is important that the workshop was built not within the school building, but as an independent structure in the forest. Unlike conventional school buildings, which are organized as a single functional mass, separating programs into distinct volumes makes the space more approachable and inviting. This fragmentation allows more people to access the space without hesitation. The timber structure itself enhances the sensory experience of making, allowing students to engage more directly with the materiality of wood. The paper-based tables further reinforce this tactile experience, enabling students to physically feel and understand materials. In this way, the workshop becomes not only a functional space, but also a place of communication and sensory learning distinct from traditional school environments.

Q: What was the most challenging aspect during the design and construction process?

A: Most school buildings are constructed as concrete boxes. Although we live in the 21st century—the age of the metaverse—educational spaces remain largely unchanged from those of the 1980s. It is paradoxical that the space intended to foster creativity is often the most conservative. This condition stems from administrative constraints, entrenched spatial conventions, and an implicit resistance to change. Proposing a timber structure and constructing it as an independent building represented a significant departure from conventional school architecture. At the same time, the extremely limited budget was one of the greatest challenges. It would have been easier to construct a simple box without exposing the timber structure, but creating a meaningful and creative environment for students required overcoming these constraints. Given that the workshop was intended for students from multicultural families, many individuals and contributors recognized its importance and offered their support. Their collective effort made it possible to realize the project despite its limitations.

Q: What kind of feedback did you receive from students and teachers? Were your expectations fulfilled?

A: The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Students, teachers, and members of the surrounding community have embraced the space and are using it actively. Educators from across the country have visited the project as a reference, recognizing it as a meaningful alternative model for school architecture. The Ministry of Education has also made efforts to promote the project as an example of innovative educational space. The project was honored with the Grand Prize at the 2019 Korea Wood Architecture Awards. During the jury visit, students and local residents were actively engaged in woodworking activities inside the space. I was especially moved when a foreign parent expressed how beautiful and meaningful the space felt. Although the workshop was designed for students, seeing it function as a place of integration—bringing together students, parents, and local residents—has been deeply fulfilling. For an architect, witnessing a space successfully foster social connection is one of the greatest rewards.

Q: In Korea, school buildings often remain longer than almost any other structure in the city. What does school architecture mean to you? What do you hope to achieve through it?

A: School architecture is not merely a place for studying. It is a space where emotional memory is formed and where sensitivity and imagination develop. When we reflect on our childhood, memories of school are inseparable from memories of space—the smell of classrooms, the texture of desks, the dust of the playground. These sensory experiences shape our emotional memory. The spaces we encounter during childhood profoundly influence how we remember and perceive architecture later in life. Unlike the neutral and repetitive spatial condition of apartment living, schools must provide spatial experiences that cultivate creativity and emotional awareness. I hope that this workshop offers students meaningful memories during their formative years. Its modest scale, combined with the warmth and material presence of timber, may one day remain in their memory as a space of comfort and inspiration. For this reason, school architecture must evolve. It should not merely produce classrooms, but create environments that nurture emotional growth. One of the most meaningful realizations through this project was that a well-designed space can be felt regardless of age. Students, teachers, and parents alike were able to share the emotional qualities that the architecture intended to convey. Ultimately, the architect’s role is to create spaces that are generous and accessible to human experience. Especially for children, providing an environment where they can encounter meaningful spatial sensations is not only a responsibility, but an obligation.

2022.02

Jeonghoon Lee

[This writing was commissioned by ELLE]