GLAD Hotel Yeouido: A Poetic Expression of Urban Design
Located in the contemporary business district of Yeouido, South Korea, GLAD Hotel Yeouido has opened its doors, setting a new milestone in urban design.
The hotel is characterised by its unique yet functional design and creative use of space and lighting, which offers a traditionally engrained yet bold concept. As a perfect complement, the surrounding Yeouido district, nicknamed Seoul’s Manhattan, makes a perfect home for the hotel, as it has become a hub of creativity and sophistication, with an emerging art scene, fashionable stores and a blooming pop and youth culture.
With a facade made with a unique brick pattern, GLAD Hotel, from its exterior, stands in sharp contrast to the modernist glass buildings surrounding it. The use of local bricks as the dominant structural material for the hotel is an intentional choice made to express South Korean tradition. With several twists and turns on the interior and exterior the bricks are used in an innovative way while at the same time giving the warmth and soul of a traditional South Korean home.
The raw interior design fulfil the expectations set on the exterior through a playful use of material that gives depth and texture to spaces through light. Throughout the hotel, unusual quirks act as a surprise for the visitor ranging from street signs creating an “on the street” experience to posters with quotes from famous thinkers such as Shakespeare. High quality natural materials are used in the bedding and interiors of all the rooms and suites to reinforce the feeling of calm and warmth in all spaces. The hotel also lives up to high environmental standards and makes use of geothermal energy.
The 319 rooms that make up GLAD Hotel vary in size and area, ranging from practical open spaces, to more deluxe rooms overlooking the Seoul cityscape.
Behind this architectural work of art, stands Joh & Company, which is led by one of Korea’s top designers, creative director Suyong Joh.
GLAD Hotel is a member of Design Hotels™.
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