sketches at Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

scenery seen from CIGNA TOWER building, pen, watercolor, A 4

scenery seen from CIGNA TOWER building, pen, watercolor, A 4

scenery seen from CIGNA TOWER building, pastels, A 4

Jongno Tower seen at the corner of Cheongjin shopping street(청진상점가) in Gran Seoul building, pastels, A 4

These days I like to visit new buildings built within a few years located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Because I have been walking the street during those buildings were under construction I had interest to see the finished features inside the buildings. Among them there was a building(CIGNA TOWER) which I used to sketch the construction field in the 2nd floor of Burger King across the street Sambong-ro.  On the 2nd floor of the newly built building there was a nice space for public with comfortable chairs and good views through the pane glass. It was very satisfactory place for sketchers too. I was so happy to enjoy all of them. It would be one of my favorite places for sketching.

The other place I found yesterday is Gran Seoul building which was built on the former site where lots of small restaurants were clustered in the center of Seoul, Cheongjin-dong. The owner of the big building tried to restore the atmosphere of the old food houses in the alley. At the corner of the large twin buildings I captured the street scene where the Jongno Tower built on 1999 still is looking down the Jongno street with its unique architectural style.

Visiting newly built buildings I enjoyed their characteristic designs. Below the high risen buildings old ones seemed to make us to breathe for balance with tall ones. I hoped them to be kept well because it may be more valuable to secure the space than the site filled with glass and steel ones.

요즘 며칠 종로의 새로 지어진 빌딩을 순례하고 있어요. 늘 다니는 종로 거리의 공사 현장을 스케치는 했어도 완공된 후에 들어 가 본것은 처음입니다. 여러 빌딩을 다녀보니 각각의 특색이 있는 것이 그것도 커다란 재미였습니다. 전망이 좋은 것은 스케치도 해보고 좋은 경험이 되더군요. 하루가 달라지게 변모하는 서울의 중심 종로의 변모된 모습과 아랑곳없이 오래된 건물들의 조화가 서울의 멋인듯합니다.