Ananti at Gangnam

Ananti at Gangnam is located in the center of Seoul’s crowded Gangnam district south of the Han River. In this urban environment, the architectural virtue required for a hotel is to offer a quiet, sheltered space where guests can rest and relax. So, as its top priority, Ananti at Gangnam tried to create its own version of a secluded environment through external buffer zones such as a courtyard and backyard. Along with a sunken underground space, a courtyard was placed to create a serene atmosphere that stood in sharp contrast with the urban context. The backyard, built as a buffer space surrounded by low masses, was formed as a pocket garden that departed from the scale of the big city.

The key features of Ananti at Gangnam are the underground sunken space and the courtyard, retaining deep tranquility akin to a medieval monastery. Being a public space available to any visitor, it forms an extraordinary space away from everyday life and an anti-urban space to escape the urban hustle and bustle, while maximizing the privacy of the visitors. Starting from the underground levels and flowing to the ground floor, this space of tranquility is also connected to the outdoor swimming pool in an annex. To overcome the limitations of underground space, the below-ground levels that house key subsidiary facilities, the underground retaining walls are separated from the underground space, allowing outside air flow and natural light to enter deep inside the space. The arch columns connecting the retaining walls and the internal masses looking like flying buttresses in a Gothic building, give the impression of a space from another dimension apart from everyday city life. In the case of the upper floor rooms, they have been designed and arranged in a streamlined form inspired by the spatial structure of a cruise ship. The interiors made using wood panels, the large windows, and balconies with plants provide an extraordinary space not felt in urban houses or apartments.