Current Work: Mass Studies

Current Work
Minsuk Cho
Moderated by James Slade

Mass Studies was founded in 2003 by Minsuk Cho in Seoul, Korea. The firm describes its practice as: “a critical investigation of architecture in “the context of mass production, intensely overpopulated urban conditions, and other emergent cultural niches that define contemporary society. Amid the many frictions defining spatial conditions in the twenty-first century, namely past vs. future, local vs. global, utopia vs. reality, and individual vs. collective, Mass Studies focuses on the operative complexity of these multiple conditions instead of striving for a singular, unified perspective. For each architectural project…Mass Studies explores issues such as spatial systems/matrices, building materials/techniques, and typological divergences to foster a vision that allows the discovery of new socio/cultural potential.”

Minsuk Cho was born in Seoul and graduated from the Architectural Engineering Department of Yonsei University (Seoul, Korea) and the Graduate School of Architecture at Columbia University. With partner James Slade, he established Cho Slade Architecture in 1998 in New York City to be engaged in various projects both in the U.S. and Korea. In 2003, he returned to Korea to open his own firm, Mass Studies.

Cho’s awards include the Architectural League Prize for Young Architects and Designers in 2000 for his work at Cho Slade Architecture and two U.S. Progressive Architecture Awards (Citations) for “Von Erlach House” in 1999 and “Dalki Theme Park” in 2003. The Dalki Theme Park was exhibited at the theme exhibition of the 2004 La Biennale di Venezia.

His work includes Pixel House, Dalki Theme Park, Nature Poem, Boutique Monaco, Seoul Commune 2026, S-Trenue, Ann Demeulemeester Shop, Xi Gallery, and the Korea Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010.

Tickets are required for admission to League programs. Tickets are free for League members; $15 for non-members. Members may reserve a ticket by e-mailing: [email protected]. Member tickets will be held at the check-in desk; unclaimed tickets will be released fifteen minutes after the start of the program. Non-members may purchase tickets at www.archleague.org > events from November 5 until 3:00 p.m. the day of the program.

Co-sponsored by The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture of The Cooper Union. AIA and New York State continuing education credits are available.

This program was made possible in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.