Seoul Architecture Culture Festival runs through Oct. 11

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Saturday that the 2026 Seoul Architecture Culture Festival — its 18th edition — is running through Oct. 11 at the Seoul Hall of Urbanism and Architecture.

The city described the festival as a gathering where citizens and architects come together to celebrate architectural culture and explore the present and future of Korean architecture.

This year's edition is organized around the theme "Assembling Seoul: Discovery of Seoul," examining through architecture how different histories, places, cultures and people converge to shape the city as it exists today.

The festival highlights Seoul's architectural appeal through three keywords: "Hybrid Density," the idea that diversity generates new forms; "Rapid Evolution," capturing the city's fast-paced yet continuous transformation; and "Glocality," a character that is simultaneously global and distinctly local.

The thematic exhibition "Discovery of Seoul" features a collaborative work by General Director Kuk Hyung-geol and photographer Shin Kyung-seop. The festival also showcases winners of the 44th Seoul Architecture Award, with 20 works on display — including the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art by The System Lab, which took the grand prize in the completed-building category.

Interactive programs and tours are also on offer. Through open classes, visitors can hear directly from Seoul Architecture Award winners about their creative process, design philosophy and professional insights.

In addition, the festival features a pavilion model and full-scale installation produced in collaboration with the University Architecture Union of Seoul (UAUS), as well as an architecture book fair showcasing titles on urban design and architecture.

Guided tours of award-winning buildings and architecture firms, along with open-office programs, will also be held. This year's festival includes special lectures tied to the Seoul Urban Architecture School, covering topics such as AI in architecture, Seoul's urban scale and the new hanok tradition.

The city will also run hands-on programs for the general public and career-support programs for emerging architects. Registration for individual programs is available through the Seoul Metropolitan Government's public service reservation website. Further details can be found on the Seoul Architecture Culture Portal and Instagram.