Architecture is Completed by the Life Lived Within It!

Old Things Are All Beautiful is the first volume in the 21C Culture Creators series, which features iconic cultural figures who have reached the pinnacle of their respective fields. Written by Seung H-Sang, the renowned architect behind the philosophy of ‘The Aesthetics of Poverty’, this book is a reflective and understated collection of his thoughts on architecture and life. Seung, who served as the coordinator for Paju Book City, received an Honorary Fellowship from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2002 for his visionary leadership in urban development.

This book is a re-edited compilation of Seung’s JoongAng Ilbo column Agitexture (2011) and other writings, blending reflections on architecture, history, and modernity. Through accounts of his domestic and international travels, Seung reveals how travel becomes a vital form of study for architects who aim to grasp the essence of life and translate it into meaningful structures.

Seung documents the architecture he encountered on his journeys, along with the surrounding landscapes and the lives interwoven within them. These observations provide insight into the moments that expanded his architectural perspective and his ongoing exploration of human dignity through healthy and sustainable architecture. His meditations also serve as a critique of the unchecked development that often overshadows the aesthetic heritage of Korean ancestors, a heritage ironically celebrated by Western admirers.

Through Old Things Are All Beautiful, Seung H-Sang proposes architecture as a sanctuary for the soul, advocating for designs that uphold human dignity and reawaken the spirit of places forgotten in the rush of modern development. This book encapsulates his architectural philosophy and offers an inspiring call to create spaces where life and dignity thrive.