Since founding his practice BCHO Architects Associates in Seoul in 1994, Byoung Cho has built a reputation as the key architect driving the expansion of one of the world’s most densely populated cities. Influenced by Korea’s rich aesthetic tradition, Cho utilizes understated forms to create serene buildings that yield powerful and subtle experiences for their inhabitants. His work focuses on seemingly simple structures and has a strong regard for nature and sustainability.

This companion to Kengo Kuma: My Life as an Architect in Tokyo presents twenty-nine portraits of the buildings and districts of Seoul that have most influenced Cho, from a 12th-century shrine to a 14-metre-square concrete box, and includes a number of his own designs. Lively texts are interspersed with the architect’s own drawings and elegant photographs printed with a coloured tint.

In mixing personal asides with architectural and historical detail, the book builds up a multi-layered picture of Seoul, and offers a unique insight into Cho’s architectural philosophy.