Do you know which architectural design company designed Building 310 at Chung-Ang University? It was Gansam Architects & Partners. The company has ranked the top 37^th architectural design company in the world. The person who founded this company is the company’s chairman Kim Ja-ho. He is the leading figure who made the company grow just like the world’s finest architectural design companies and left behind many achievements. He produced numerous works, including the POSCO headquarters, won many awards, including the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit on Construction Engineers’ Day, and published a book containing his life guidelines. Let’s listen to the story of Kim Ja-ho, a graduate of Chung-Ang University’s Department of Building Science & Engineering, who shed light on the future of Korean architecture.

Q1. Can you introduce yourself to people reading this article?

Hello, I am Kim Ja-ho. I entered the School of Architecture and Building Science at Chung-Ang University in 1965. I was born in Ikseon-dong after liberation in 1945. Later, due to the Korean War, I fled to Busan and returned to Seoul. In 1965, I entered Chung-Ang University. I also studied in Japan from 1972 to 1979. I founded the Gansam Architects & Partners in 1983. After I entered the School of Architecture and Building Science in 1965, I worked in the field of architecture for the last 55 years. It is not easy to act in one field for 55 years.

Q2. You retired from the chairman of Gansam Architects & Partners in 2017. How have you been since your retirement?

Gansam Architects & Partners started with three people in 1983. Now we have more than 600 employees and have grown so much that we are recognized worldwide. I think architecture is a technique. Therefore, it can go wrong if I pass this company to my children. The retirement age of our company is 65. Therefore, I retired as chairman in 2017 and handed the company over to my employees. These days, I do not go out directly, but I meet with younger men and clients, giving advice and consulting. I enjoy my hobbies in my spare time. I used to love ice hockey, but I am not doing well these days. Instead, I ski or play golf. I also once learned pansori.

Q3. You majored in the School of Architecture and Building Science. Is there any experience that helped you while working as an architect?

When I was at Chung-Ang University, Chung-Ang University had not a well-organized curriculum yet because it was not long after its foundation. I took the class based on the notes of professors. When I was in school, I made the first master plan of Chung-Ang University. To make a master plan, we needed a model, and to make a model, we needed to make a drawing. So, from the winter of 1966 to the spring of 1967, I went around the university with my professors to measure. We made a master plan for what buildings to build on the grounds of Chung-Ang University. It was nice to have the experience. Even after graduation, I made several new master plans for Chung-Ang University.

Q4. You may have a lot of memories from school like staying up all night. What is the most memorable memory of your school life?

I remember staying up all night with my friends, doing assignments, and playing. In the Department of Architecture, we display architectural works in our 3rd year and graduate work as a senior. I once did not sleep for up to 72 hours as a junior to meet the deadline for submitting assignments. In addition, I remember when I was a student president in my 3rd year. When I was in school, the front gate of the university was a dirt yard and the back felt like a wilderness. I shoveled with President Yim Young-shin, 1st and 3rd president of Chung-Ang University, at the ground-breaking ceremony of the College of Engineering in my 3^rd year. It was one of the meaningful experiences.

Q5. You have built up architectural experiences not only in Korea but also in Japan. Do you think it is significant to work abroad?

When I went to Japan, the per capita GDP of Korea was only about $250. The economy of Korea was not good, either. I think technology comes from developed countries and uses in underdeveloped countries. I graduated from Chung-Ang University in 1969. There was not much technology in Korea at this time and there were few design offices so most construction companies did the design too, and there were very low monthly salaries. Also, at that time, Hyundai Construction, one of the largest construction companies, recruited only three people. It was hard to get a job. That’s why I thought there was nothing more to learn in Korea. I got a chance to go to Japan while I was preparing to study in the U.S., so I started working at Tokyu Architects & Engineers. Even if you come to Korea after studying abroad, you might not use all the things you have learned, and it might be hard to Koreanize things overseas. However, if I study and work abroad, I think I can see and hear more. Besides, it is the global era now. You can meet and communicate with foreign people online. Architecture has been globalized especially quickly. It is now necessary to prepare for the global era.

Q6. Is there a reason why you founded Gansam Architecture & Partners? How did you establish it?

There are two ways to design. One is to do it all by oneself from the beginning. The second is designing with a group of people. I think there should be more people than one to make a better design. I thought good people should gather to make good things, and it is not just mine but belongs to us together. While studying in Japan, I was offered a position at JUNGLIM Architecture in Korea. I worked in JUNGLIM Architecture for about two years, and I wanted to build a company like Gansam. However, the company did not agree with me. Therefore, I became independent and set up a design office that I dreamed of doing good things, raising good people, and handing over the company to employees. The name "Gansam" was given by Kim Swoo-geun, the architect of "Space Group." He named it Gansam by combining space, human, and time. Also, the name Gansam is more meaningful because 3 means "many" in the East. The construction of Gansam Architecture & Partners started in 1983 and in three years, it will be the 40th anniversary.

Q7. Your motto ‘Let’s work while playing’ was very impressive. We heard that there is a lot of construction work, and there are times when staying up all night. How did you work while playing?

It is about the attitude when we work. We have to think that working and playing are equal. You are not working if you think of work as something hard and something that you don’t want to do. People who are good at working make something just in a short time, not even thinking about whether they were working or not. There are also people who can’t make something even though they are determined to work. Work is not apart from our daily lives, it is all about working. You think about it when sleeping. You think about how to do it in the bathroom. When it comes to your mind on Sunday, you come out and do what you were doing, even at night. Our architectural design company is open all day every day. If people want to work even if they are staying home at dawn, they can come and work. It is a part of our daily lives.

Q8. Is there anything you want to tell students who dream of becoming entrepreneurs and architects?

Schools teach basics. First of all, you have to study hard. This means to improve your skills in school. After coming out into society, you need to work on your networks. Create a lot of networks and think about when you should collaborate with someone at a specific time. Make networks by building up basic skills. Also, there’s a saying, a little bit of skill and a lot of luck. Luck has to follow and that luck is made from you. You need skills to find a chance. You need courage to catch it, too. Even if you know it’s a chance but don’t have the courage, you can’t catch the chance because you think you can’t do it. You have to think that it’s time to do it or that it’s time to invest. You always have to be prepared for it. The next thing you need is to be considerate. Being considerate of others means recognizing others. It’s about recognizing each other.

Q9. The company received many awards this year including the ‘Korean Institute of Architects’ Architecture Prize, and the ‘Korean Architecture Award’ Grand Prize and Excellence Award. What do you think is the secret to the great growth of the company?

People say that to achieve something in one field, chase only one goal. In the case of an architectural design company, working hard on architectural designs, collecting information, and making something good is needed. There are times when you fail and times when you succeed. Architectural design companies’ properties are its people. If there are a lot of good people in the property, it is having a better property. Humans and trees don’t grow just in a day. There’s an old saying. If one keeps watering Asian rice to grow fast, its bottom will rot. It doesn’t grow fast just because you want it to grow fast. It’s the same with humans. To make them keep growing, investment is needed. Make them study, send them to study abroad, let them see things from somewhere else, and create an environment for them to work well. Training talented people and educating them is essential. I say, “It’s not something you do for this company. It’s something you do for yourself.” Working hard and a lot at the company becomes one’s own property. The company benefited from that person as well. Our current CEO joined us as a new employee and eventually became the CEO. It’s right to pass it on to someone good at it. I think it’s natural to give it back to the employees because they did well. After raising people like that and doing good things, good things happen. Always do something good rather than doing a lot. To do good things, looking at good things, thinking about something new, and having something creative is important. Then getting awards is possible. Continuously raising people and using new skills are essential.

Q10. We heard that there is a list of all employees who have worked at the company so far in your office and that you often write letters to them.

The red book here is that list. Do you know why this book is red? It’s because it is something important. There are employees and also people who quit, retired employees, in the book. I’m supposed to know the retired employees, too, even though they quit because they wanted to. I know where they are now and what they are doing. There are times when some of them come back to this company. To do that, they have to get consent from employees they worked with before at this company. If the employees welcome them, they can come back. If the employees don’t agree about it, they can’t come back. I don’t know about them since I haven’t worked with them. That’s why I tell them to get consent from employees they worked with before. This book is very important.

Q11. Many companies need to work together, from designing a building to completing it. Are there any tips to collaborate well with various companies?

35% of the total budget is people who collaborate with us. Some companies who have worked with us together from the start, 38 years ago, are still with us today. Good people can continue while people who aren’t good are eliminated. There is a list for grading. For people who do good work, work is given continuously. People who can’t do good work are left behind. After working together for a long time, collaborating companies know what our company pursues. Also, if our company makes a lot of donations, the companies follow making donations. If the companies can’t make ends meet, we help them make ends meet. That’s how you keep relationships in order to collaborate. There should be a relationship like when I ask a collaborator to hop on a plane from America today, the collaborator comes in no time. You need to have an international collaboration relationship, not just in Korea. Also, a collaboration relationship like doing something even when you’re busy is needed. A collaborative company dealing with us learns what kind of company our company is the fastest. If a collaborative company curses another company about not giving money, others will get to know that the company is like that. That’s how important the relationship is.

Q12. You’ve designed many buildings so far. What’s the most memorable?

If you do a lot of construction work, you have to give back again to society. If you make money, you give back to society, do volunteer work, and donate your talent. If you go to donate your talent, the people there are so pure and good. We did a lot of that, especially religious things. It’s best to do something like that. Building a nice building and saying that a good job is done will all pass. It’s better when we really donate our talents to do something. However, that doesn’t always work. There should be a basic mind since childhood, going volunteering, and working in society. If there isn’t a basic mind, it has to be repeatedly taught starting now. We pick up our neighborhood street trash once a month, every first Thursday. At least we should walk around this neighborhood and pick up things like cigarette butts and tissue with our own hands. That’s a kind of service, too. I just tell people to do it only if they want to. I know who does it. You should have a good heart.

Q13. You said that the essence of architecture is people, so you consider people first when designing. What details do you consider?

Architecture is a bowl that puts something out for people to live in. People have to come in. First of all, it shouldn’t collapse. In the past, many houses collapsed. It should be structurally strong. Also, people have to be comfortable. Movement should be user-friendly, not like making a user go round and round to go to a bathroom. Moreover, houses should be made nice and beautiful. That’s where the design is needed. Those are the three main elements. It doesn’t break down, fits the purpose, and is pretty. Furthermore, it needs to fit well with the surroundings. A pyramid in Dongdaemun doesn’t suit the landscape of our country. Making a house that goes well with the environment, that’s a good thing.

Q14. You’ve made many achievements in Korean architecture. What is your future life goal?

I will train and raise juniors, do a lot of community service, and improve my health from now on. I don’t know where to spend money. Buying a lot of stuff doesn’t mean I really have much. That’s why I raise juniors and volunteer not only using my body but also teaching, which can be used for other people. I serve through sports. I do seminars like how to ski. Also, I’ll stay healthy. Those are the things left for me to do.

Q15. Lastly, is there any life lesson that you want to give to Chung-Ang University students?

You can do it. You have to be confident first. You need to be confident when going out to society. Whatever you say or do, you need to build up your skills and courage to be confident. Think that you can do it well. In order to do that, the most important thing to do is to build skills, knowledge, and courage. Also, you have to be considerate later on to make everything go well. I wrote this in a book, but when my mother died, she said that living is no big deal. It’s no big deal. There’s a saying, do your best when you have the chance. Do your best when you have the chance.

The philosophy of Gansam Architecture & Partners is "For People," "Beyond Time," "Creating Space." They seek happiness with design and technology. With the interview with Kim Ja-ho, the founder of Gansam Architecture & Partners, we can feel the philosophy and passion. Kim Ja-ho emphasized the "people." He advised about studying, work while playing, collaboration, and more. We can also know about the early story of Chung-Ang University. CAH hopes that you, reader, keep this advice and find out more about Chung-Ang University. Kim Ja-ho is an architect who creates harmony among ‘People,’ ‘Time,’ ‘Space,’ and is a multi-talented entertainer. CAH anticipates and cheers the future that Kim Ja-ho and Gansam Architecture & Partners will show us.