Hyunjoon Yoo + Partners Design Village-Like Songsan Middle School in South Korea

Completed in 2021, the Songsan Middle School in Hwaseong-si, South Korea, was designed by Hyunjoon Yoo + Partners to break from conventional layouts. The architects, including lead designers Hyunjoon Yoo and Jiyoung Jon, envisioned a campus resembling a "Smurfs' Village" with multiple building groups and varied yards. This approach aims to foster open-mindedness and endeavor in children by creating a dynamic, village-like landscape where small blocks and outdoor spaces encourage play and movement. The project spans 8,781 square meters and involved a team of designers such as Jinsung Heo, Jiho Kim, Taewon Choi, Eunsuk Noh, and Seonghyeon Baek. Collaborators included builders Seojin, structural engineers Seum, civil engineers Anam Engineering, lighting designers Newds, energy consultants ENH, landscape designers Studio HYMH, and M/E engineers LEEGUN engineering with electrical consultant Hyeob-In. Photographs by Kyungsub Shin document the architecture, which uses products from manufacturer Eagon. The design philosophy emphasizes that built spaces influence people, prompting a shift from large, standardized school buildings to fragmented, interactive environments.