History
| 1983 | Establishes Gansam Architecture Institute | 2007 | Launches Gansam Flagship brand G.style |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Registered as Gan.SamComprehensive Architecture Inc. | 2009 | Establishes the Vietnam Branch |
| 2002 | Establishes the Gansam Housing Institute | 2010 | Establishes the Abu Dhabi Branch |
| 2003 | Renamed Gansam Partners Inc. | 2010 | Establishes the Kazakhstan Branch |
| 2004 | Completes the present office in Sindang-dongJung-gu Seoul | 2010 | Renamed Gansam Architects & Partners Inc. |
| 2005 | Establishes the Gansam Award | 2010 | Announces a new Corporate Identity |
| 2006 | Announces Creative Vision 2010 | 2012 | Establishes the Quatar Branch |
| 2013 | Celebrates the 30th anniversary of Gansam Architects & Partners | ||
| 2018 | Established GHED, Gansam Human Environment & Design Co., Ltd. |
‘Beginning of a philosophy’ rather than simply a foundation
1983 - 1993 Gansam Architects & Partners came into being during a meeting between the first generation of architects, Jeongsu Won and Soon Ji (present Standing Advisor) for the design of Bank of Korea, the most coveted project of that time. The long-standing cultural values of Gansam Architects & Partners, which makes an effort to understand and consider one other, began with this creative attempt at a partnership. Thanks to such efforts, Gansam Architects & Partners became a notable ‘architectural group’, and we have upheldthis status to the present day, ever since the successful designsfor the Bank of Korea, which was rated as ‘alandmark in stone building in Korea’. The partnership developed as partnership with cooperative firms and clients, and it was prized for itsadoption of the unique architectural language of Gansam by the architects of the next generation, Jaho Kim (chairman of Gansam Architects & Partners) and Gwangman Lee (Principal of Gansam Architects & Partners). Furthermore, young architects, Taijip Kim (president CEO of Gansam Architects & Partners) and Donghee Oh (president of Gansam) joined Gansam, and this paved the way for Gansam Architects & Partners to grow and take root as a symbol for the architectural design field in Korea. Most particularly, moving from Dongsung-dong, Jongro-gu to Wonnam-dong, Gansam Architects & Partners began to prepare professional and specialized means of organization to prepare for a new era.
Realization of the Aesthetics of ‘building’
1994 - 2002 The architects of Gansam proved their worth through the design of the POSCO Center in 1995.We demonstrated that we can complete cutting-edge intelligent building through our own design practice and techniques, instead of depending on that of other countries, winning high praise as a‘turning point of contemporary architecture of Korea’. It was during this period that we produced a series of projects which were reviewed as masterpieces by critics andwere honoured withnumerous awards. The extension of our working scope, not only in the main field of office building but also in the new field of project work such as recreational facilities, was possible due to innovative ideas and a challenging spirit. Never confined by trends, Gansam has brought about innovative solutions to accept the fluctuations of our fast-paced age while remaining faithful to the basics. Such ‘sound movement’, which has suggested the archetypes of future architecture with an open perspective and mind, was adopted at the takeoff stage. The spirit of Gansam Architects & Partners, with a balance of innovation and technology, placing the daily lives lived by people in the building ahead of the building itself, was ready to face the 21st century.
Those who believe in ‘the power of architecture’
2003 - Present Celebrating the 20th anniversary of its establishment in 2003, Gansam built a new nest in Sindang-dong, Jung-gu in 2004, solidifying its status as an outstanding architectural design firm. It was an attempt to set down a second foundation with an ambition for‘future development by continuous innovation based on rationality’. ‘Creativity 2010’, which materialized this very vision, was announced in 2006, and it was followed by the launch of G.Style, a new brand underGansam Architects & Partners in 2007. G.Style, an international design firm built by Gansam, is a philosophy and brand that will never change in the 21st century. Establishing and operating out of the Ho Chi Minh branch in Vietnam, the Abu Dhabi branch in UAE, and the Kazakhstan branch during this period, we are prepared to take off as a global architectural design firm. With the opportunity of CI integration, Gansam Architects & Partners is preparing the next generation. More than an architectural design firm, we are implementing our will as a social enterprise, which will perform a given role in terms of society, culture and environment. Instead of settling for its status as a symbolic company in Korean architectural world, Gansam Architects & Partner, celebrating its 32nd anniversary in 2015, will become a leading force to predict change in the future.
