I was recently in South Korea for a commercial architectural assignment, so I decided to arrive a few days early to take some time for myself and walk around Seoul, a city I always love to explore.
Seoul has been developping very fast since its recovery from the Korean war, yet in the 21st century the city has actually turned into a new phase where it's moving away from a boring industrial center and rapidly becoming one of the most trendy cities in Asia.
One of the most visually obvious aspect of this new era is the super-modern architecture poping up everywhere. The city's skyline is turning into a massive futuristic landscape out of science fiction film, and amidst this construction frenzy brutalist architecture is making a huge come-back, with a modern twist. Whether for residential, commercial, institutional or religious buildings, the use of raw concrete, bold shapes and sharp angles is becoming predominant all around the city.
Through this personal study about Neo-Brutalism, I aim to give a small glimpse into the booming architectural scene of Seoul, one of the world's fastest developping city and Asia's rising stars.
Raphael Olivier is a commercial photographer based in Asia for about 10 years, currently living between Hong Kong and Singapore, and available to shoot architecture, interiors, hospitality, retail and advertising campaigns all around Asia and beyond.