Jinju City Holds Its First Architecture Festival to Celebrate Wood Buildings for its Contribution to Carbon Neutrality

By: Tai Jeong

Country Director, Canada Wood Korea

November 7, 2022 Korea Keywords:

Jinju City celebrates its first architecture festival, titled ‘Architecture in the age of carbon neutrality’. Hosted from October 24-31 in Jinju city, the festival featured a mini gallery showcasing wood use in renovated old buildings and new non-residential constructions.

Poster of Jinju Architectural Festival: all of the buildings featured are old and new wooden buildings including the first NLT Demo Project in Korea (Credit: Jinju City)

The festival was conceived by the architect Sam Jung Choi who is one of Korea’s most prominent advocates of wood construction. He was appointed to be Jinju’s first chief architect and planner in 2017. He is instrumental in the introduction and expansion of wood design in the public spaces of the City.

Mr. Choi is a key partner in Canada Wood Korea’s first NLT (Nail-laminated Timber) project which demonstrates how low-carbon NLT products are a viable option for South Korean public structures via his community centre project. This project won a top prize in the 2021 Korean Wood Design Award. Under his leadership, with support from Canada Wood, another guest house project will incorporate NLT in its roof structure and will be the second NLT project in Korea.

The first NLT project in Korea, Munsan-eup Community Center
The interior of the building

Although CLT is gaining popularity and awareness in Korea, the cost can be a deterrent. NLT offers an alternative option for roofing and flooring with competitive cost and easier fabrication. Canada Wood Korea believes this old technology will find its way into Korea’s fast-growing non-residential sector.

Mayor of Jinju City, Kyoo-il Jo, City Architect, Sam Young Choi, Chairman of KWCA, Gug Sig Lee, Chairman of Wooden Architecture Policy Forum, Sang Jeong Lee and others at the opening of the Exhibition featuring wood buildings (Credit: Jinju City)

Relevant Stories:

Canada Wood’s First NLT Project in Jinju Wins the 2021 Korea Wood Design Top Award

Innovative NLT Roof Design Showcased in New Demonstration Building in South Korea

Jinju Community Centre