Inaugurated in 2019, the “Swiss Hanok” symbolises the long-standing friendship between Switzerland and Korea, expressing the two countries’ sincere desire to expand bilateral relations in all fields. The Swiss Embassy in Seoul, also known as the “Swiss Hanok”, embodies a contemporary interpretation of the Korean traditional house, hanok, with attention to Swiss architectural practice.

Over sixty architectural studios from all over the world participated in the open architecture competition for the new Swiss Embassy building. Burckhardt+Partner from Lausanne, Switzerland, won with its project code-name “Swiss Hanok.”

The 3-story low-rise Embassy building creates poetic contrast with the surrounding high-rise residential complexes. The Swiss Hanok harnessed ecological green technologies in order to reduce its carbon footprint, including heating and cooling by geothermal energy, self-production of electricity by solar panels and a water harvesting system for cleaning and gardening.

Lena Maria Thuring’s installation in the courtyard of the Embassy explores the theme of water and its historical, social and economic significance. The three rocks come from the Rhine, the Rhone and the Ticino – three rivers that indirectly connect Switzerland to the sea. The brass gutters form a kind of floor drawing, tracing the course of the Han River, which flows through the center of Seoul before reaching the Yellow Sea. When it rains, the water flows along the chains and over the three rocks into the gutters.