Lotte executive tower

September saw the unveiling of the new Executive Tower at the Lotte Hotel Seoul. Paul Woods, Managing Director of G.A Design Budapest headed the team responsible for the renovation. 

The former spaces, which date back to the 1980’s, have been transformed into sophisticated and light-filled rooms that take advantage of their modest architecture to create an intimate setting full of classic-contemporary styling and homely residential touches.

Minhwha, the tradition of Korean folk art and the surrounding natural landscape of the Bukhansan mountains, is a thread that runs through the concept for the new Lotte Executive Tower, bringing depth and narrative to an otherwise fresh and modern renovation. 

Inspired by the partilcular story of the magpie and the tiger, the motifs within the tale have been subtly woven into the design. The weary bird, having travelled down from the Bukansan mountains, rests in a nearby pine tree where a gentle and welcoming tiger awaits; the symbolism representing the arrival of good luck and strength. 

A commissioned piece of wall art, intricately assembled out of metal tells the story in more detail as the magpie can be seen flying from one pine tree to the next.

The concept for the lounge draws on the symbolism of the South Korean flag. The layout is loosely divided into four areas corresponding with the flag’s four trigrams which in turn represent the elements of heaven, fire, water and earth.   

A feature lazer–cut screen suggests fish-scales representing the water element, whilst carpets capture the inky paintings of the symbolic pine tree – correlating with both the earth element and the idea of Minhwa.

A curation of local Korean art features throughout the Tower, including the staircase artwork, by Park Sun-Ki, which is suspended over the reception and lounge floors. Based on traditional Korean pots, the delicate pieces of charcoal have been painted with gold and appear as if floating mid-air.