An Analytical Study on the Diversity and Layering of Street-Side Interface Spaces for Mitigating Urban Disconnection : Focusing on Kim Swoo-geun’s Works from the 1970s

Purpose: This study addresses the issue of urban disconnection arising from the rigid dichotomy between public streets and private lots in modern Seoul. Focusing on the concept of “interface space” as a mediator, the research investigates architectural strategies to vitalize the street-level environment. The study specifically interrogates two morphological qualities essential for urban porosity: diversity, operationalized as fine-grained horizontal segmentation, and layering, defined as the spatial depth generated through sequential transitional zones. Method: Four representative works by Kim Swoo-geun from the 1970s—the Space Group Building, Arko Art Center, Arko Arts Theater, and Samteo Building—were selected for their active engagement with the urban fabric. The methodology involves on-site surveys, diagrammatic reconstruction of plans and sections, and spatial-topological mapping. Diversity was analyzed by quantifying the physical segmentation of façade–ground interfaces, while layering was evaluated through the depth of transitional sequences and the multiplicity of circulation choices. Result: Four representative works by Kim Swoo-geun from the 1970s—the Space Group Building, Arko Art Center, Arko Arts Theater, and Samteo Building—were selected for their active engagement with the urban fabric. The methodology involves on-site surveys, diagrammatic reconstruction of plans and sections, and spatial-topological mapping. Diversity was analyzed by quantifying the physical segmentation of façade–ground interfaces, while layering was evaluated through the depth of transitional sequences and the multiplicity of circulation choices.