Leeum Art Museum

Owned and managed by the Samsung Foundation of Culture, it is located on the slopes of Namsan Mountain, just above the vibrant, foreigner-friendly district of Itaewon. The museum is unique in the global art world not only for its contents but for its container: the complex is composed of three distinct buildings designed by three world-renowned architects — Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas — each using different materials to represent a different concept of time and art.

Museum 1, designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, utilizes terracotta bricks to create a fortress-like structure symbolizing earth and tradition. This building houses the museum’s collection of traditional Korean art, which is widely considered one of the finest private collections in existence. It features exquisite Goryeo celadon ceramics, Buncheong ware, and Joseon white porcelain. The architectural highlight here is the inverted cone skylight and the spiral staircase that drills through the center of the building. This design illuminates the pottery with natural light and guides the visitor downwards through history, creating a sense of descending into the earth where these ceramics originated.

Museum 2, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, stands in sharp contrast. Constructed of rusted stainless steel and glass, it represents industry and the future. This building houses the museum’s modern and contemporary art collection. It places Korean masters like Nam June Paik, the father of video art, and Lee Ufan, a minimalist icon, alongside Western giants such as Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and Damien Hirst. The interaction between the Korean and Western pieces highlights the global dialogue of modern art, showing Korean artists as active participants in international movements.

The third component is the Child Education Culture Center, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. Utilizing black concrete and floating structures, this building is dedicated to the next generation, exploring the future of art and education. Unlike the fixed forms of the other two buildings, this space is designed to be fluid and adaptable.

The Leeum is a rare destination where the architecture is as significant as the masterpieces it holds, effectively walking the visitor from the 12th century to the 21st through physical space.