Building on the successful partnership developed during the Hankook Technodome project – the company’s integrated R&D centre in Daejeon – Foster + Partners was asked to design Hankook’s new headquarters in Pangyo, on the outskirts of Seoul. The new building embraces several themes that are symbolic of Hankook’s desire to create a dynamic office environment that supports flexible working styles, as the company looks towards the future. The building serves as a catalyst for change for the company’s ongoing efforts to inculcate a progressive corporate culture.
The new headquarters reflect Hankook’s development as a global brand, echoing the excellence in engineering that the company represents. The ten-storey building houses the Hankook offices and its subsidiaries, alongside a state-of-the-art business centre with a 175-seat auditorium. The floorplates spiral around a central atrium, creating spaces of differing heights throughout the building. The dynamic volume generates visual connections across the different levels encouraging staff interaction, while also letting natural light deep into the heart of the building.