SNU SOCIETY
Sustainable development: Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies 9reserves nature amidst construction
Currently, around one-third of Gwanak Mountain, home to Seoul National University’s largest campus, is occupied by buildings for educational purposes. As Seoul National University continuously strives to accommodate more students of different fields, the school must build more buildings within the campus. Recently, the school has created a new department, the School of Transdisciplinary Innovations, which requires buildings separated from those of the College of Engineering and the College of Natural Sciences. While it is true that these constructions provide improved educational settings, many are concerned that the ongoing construction of the new buildings within the campus may have negative impacts on the beautiful nature of Gwanak Mountain. On that note, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is exemplary for proceeding with eco-friendly buildings and promoting sustainable development within the campus.
Established on January 25th, 1973 by merging the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Graduate School of Public Administration and the Department of Landscape Architecture, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is the first institution that provides higher education to train professionals to cope with environmental issues raised due to the rapid industrialization and urbanization that South Korea underwent during the twentieth century. Hence, numerous alumni are playing important roles in the environmental sector within and outside of Korea. Not only does the school train its students to become advocates for eco-friendliness, but it also puts this philosophy into practice in its very own building, exemplifying its commitment to sustainability.
Most notably, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies building was built with a Piloti structure, an architectural process where a building is constructed to be lifted above the ground. This minimizes the cutting and filling of the original land, maintaining the surrounding nature. In addition, to preserve the lawn square nearby, the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies was built behind the lawn. This not only helped preserve the lawn square in front of the building but also provided a good view of the campus and plenty of sunlight in every room. This is because the open lawn leaves space between the buildings and ensures that the building is not shaded by nearby structures.
In addition, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is committed to energy efficiency through the strategic use of louvers in its building, which meticulously control light penetration and enhance ventilation. A louver is an arrangement of parallel, horizontal blades, slats, laths, slips of glass, wood, or other materials. It is usually made as windows or doors to regulate the sunshine and is very efficient in terms of ventilation as it regulates the airflow. Within the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, louvers can be easily found. In regular lecture halls, the louvers are used as windows so that direct light does not come into the halls, reducing glare. In contrast, there are louvers on the ceilings of the lobby, which fill the building with a good amount of sunlight. Therefore, there is no need to turn the lights on during the day because the incoming sunlight is very strong. This natural lighting extends to the classrooms. Additionally, these louvers facilitate ventilation through natural air circulation. Specifically, in the lecture halls, the louvers create a cross-ventilation effect, where cool air enters from one side and warm air exits from the other side, which helps maintain fresh air and a chilling environment. The eco-friendly louvers do not sacrifice the aesthetics of the building. In the library, there is a vertical louver, which not only organizes the inflow of light but also spotlights the architectural aesthetics of the library, the mezzanine structure. The mezzanine is an intermediate floor, situated halfway (mezzo means ‘half’ in Italian) between the main floors. It is usually open to the floor below. Mezzanines are constructed to increase the floor area of the building without changing the building’s external dimensions. The vertical louver enables the interplay of light and shadow. Since the angle of the sun changes throughout the day, the interplay moves and highlights different details and edges of the mezzanine floor, which provides an interesting spectacle.
The building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies also has its smart temperature sensor, which allows the efficient use of air-conditioning and the heating system. Specifically, the temperature sensor measures the temperature and controls the air-conditioning system accordingly. Thus, when the temperature reaches a certain level, the sensor automatically shuts down the air-conditioning and the heating system, allowing the building to maintain a high level of energy efficiency.
These methods demonstrate how an alternative architectural and interior structure prevents the destruction of the natural environment around the Department. Such efforts were awarded by the Korean Institute of Architects and the Korean Award for Environmental and Culture on Interior Design. Other than that, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is consciously making efforts to enhance environmental sustainability through various community-engaging activities. The Department has a roof garden called “Haneul Ma-dang” where over a hundred species of trees, shrubs, and herbs flourish. The “Rooftop Garden Cultivation” held at Haneul Ma-dang offers students the opportunity to submit a gardening plan in groups of two to six. They discuss how they are going to turn the impoverished roof of the building into an eco-friendly zone, what they are going to cultivate, and more. Since only seven teams are selected to become the official roof gardeners of the year, the program is very competitive. Furthermore, symposiums were held regarding the roof garden: during the opening, professor Jong-Sang Seong made an emphasis on the use of the roof as a place for greening practiced in daily life through the presentation “Green Dreams in the Air—the Poetics of the Roof Gardens” during “The Rediscovery of the City, Roof and the Garden” symposium.
Following the practices of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, the concept of roof gardens has spread across the campus: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, and the Main Library. These gardens serve as an open space where students and faculty members can relax and interact. This expansion of green space on campus holds a deep connection to the “Declaration for a Sustainable” Seoul National University, declared on October 13th, 2008. This declaration is a commitment to cultivate member’s values and attitudes to correspond to sustainable development. To foster a green campus, the Seoul National University pledged to create an environment-friendly campus culture based on the active participation of the members of the university. One of the tangible outcomes of this declaration is the establishment of green spaces like the rooftop gardens across the campus. Additionally, Seoul National University has initiated more sustainable environmental practices like plastic reduction programs and the promotion of environmental clubs and green student community “Green-in-Us.” These efforts show the university’s pursuit of sustainability, endlessly seeking ways to enhance eco-friendliness within the campus and encourage environmental responsibility among the students and faculty members.
Amidst the ongoing campus constructions, the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies serves as an important reminder: while the construction may be necessary, there are still ways to protect the environment throughout the process. Not only can we apply architectural methods to build an eco-friendly building but also make conscious efforts to make the building itself eco-friendly by creating more green spaces within and on the building. Seoul National University is not only renowned for its prestigious rankings in terms of education but also for its beautiful scenery, as we coexist with the beautiful nature of Gwanak Mountain. Let us all strive to preserve the environmental beauty of our campus, ensuring that nature and academics can coexist in the future as well.
Established on January 25th, 1973 by merging the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Graduate School of Public Administration and the Department of Landscape Architecture, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is the first institution that provides higher education to train professionals to cope with environmental issues raised due to the rapid industrialization and urbanization that South Korea underwent during the twentieth century. Hence, numerous alumni are playing important roles in the environmental sector within and outside of Korea. Not only does the school train its students to become advocates for eco-friendliness, but it also puts this philosophy into practice in its very own building, exemplifying its commitment to sustainability.
Most notably, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies building was built with a Piloti structure, an architectural process where a building is constructed to be lifted above the ground. This minimizes the cutting and filling of the original land, maintaining the surrounding nature. In addition, to preserve the lawn square nearby, the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies was built behind the lawn. This not only helped preserve the lawn square in front of the building but also provided a good view of the campus and plenty of sunlight in every room. This is because the open lawn leaves space between the buildings and ensures that the building is not shaded by nearby structures.
In addition, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is committed to energy efficiency through the strategic use of louvers in its building, which meticulously control light penetration and enhance ventilation. A louver is an arrangement of parallel, horizontal blades, slats, laths, slips of glass, wood, or other materials. It is usually made as windows or doors to regulate the sunshine and is very efficient in terms of ventilation as it regulates the airflow. Within the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, louvers can be easily found. In regular lecture halls, the louvers are used as windows so that direct light does not come into the halls, reducing glare. In contrast, there are louvers on the ceilings of the lobby, which fill the building with a good amount of sunlight. Therefore, there is no need to turn the lights on during the day because the incoming sunlight is very strong. This natural lighting extends to the classrooms. Additionally, these louvers facilitate ventilation through natural air circulation. Specifically, in the lecture halls, the louvers create a cross-ventilation effect, where cool air enters from one side and warm air exits from the other side, which helps maintain fresh air and a chilling environment. The eco-friendly louvers do not sacrifice the aesthetics of the building. In the library, there is a vertical louver, which not only organizes the inflow of light but also spotlights the architectural aesthetics of the library, the mezzanine structure. The mezzanine is an intermediate floor, situated halfway (mezzo means ‘half’ in Italian) between the main floors. It is usually open to the floor below. Mezzanines are constructed to increase the floor area of the building without changing the building’s external dimensions. The vertical louver enables the interplay of light and shadow. Since the angle of the sun changes throughout the day, the interplay moves and highlights different details and edges of the mezzanine floor, which provides an interesting spectacle.
The building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies also has its smart temperature sensor, which allows the efficient use of air-conditioning and the heating system. Specifically, the temperature sensor measures the temperature and controls the air-conditioning system accordingly. Thus, when the temperature reaches a certain level, the sensor automatically shuts down the air-conditioning and the heating system, allowing the building to maintain a high level of energy efficiency.
These methods demonstrate how an alternative architectural and interior structure prevents the destruction of the natural environment around the Department. Such efforts were awarded by the Korean Institute of Architects and the Korean Award for Environmental and Culture on Interior Design. Other than that, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is consciously making efforts to enhance environmental sustainability through various community-engaging activities. The Department has a roof garden called “Haneul Ma-dang” where over a hundred species of trees, shrubs, and herbs flourish. The “Rooftop Garden Cultivation” held at Haneul Ma-dang offers students the opportunity to submit a gardening plan in groups of two to six. They discuss how they are going to turn the impoverished roof of the building into an eco-friendly zone, what they are going to cultivate, and more. Since only seven teams are selected to become the official roof gardeners of the year, the program is very competitive. Furthermore, symposiums were held regarding the roof garden: during the opening, professor Jong-Sang Seong made an emphasis on the use of the roof as a place for greening practiced in daily life through the presentation “Green Dreams in the Air—the Poetics of the Roof Gardens” during “The Rediscovery of the City, Roof and the Garden” symposium.
Following the practices of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, the concept of roof gardens has spread across the campus: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, and the Main Library. These gardens serve as an open space where students and faculty members can relax and interact. This expansion of green space on campus holds a deep connection to the “Declaration for a Sustainable” Seoul National University, declared on October 13th, 2008. This declaration is a commitment to cultivate member’s values and attitudes to correspond to sustainable development. To foster a green campus, the Seoul National University pledged to create an environment-friendly campus culture based on the active participation of the members of the university. One of the tangible outcomes of this declaration is the establishment of green spaces like the rooftop gardens across the campus. Additionally, Seoul National University has initiated more sustainable environmental practices like plastic reduction programs and the promotion of environmental clubs and green student community “Green-in-Us.” These efforts show the university’s pursuit of sustainability, endlessly seeking ways to enhance eco-friendliness within the campus and encourage environmental responsibility among the students and faculty members.
Amidst the ongoing campus constructions, the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies serves as an important reminder: while the construction may be necessary, there are still ways to protect the environment throughout the process. Not only can we apply architectural methods to build an eco-friendly building but also make conscious efforts to make the building itself eco-friendly by creating more green spaces within and on the building. Seoul National University is not only renowned for its prestigious rankings in terms of education but also for its beautiful scenery, as we coexist with the beautiful nature of Gwanak Mountain. Let us all strive to preserve the environmental beauty of our campus, ensuring that nature and academics can coexist in the future as well.
