Of all arts, architecture has the longest traditions in the history of mankind. Our life and architecture were inseparably related, considering that architecture would not disappear as long as our life exists. What then is architecture which is so important in our lives?

This book is a collection of essays on architecture written by 11 leading Korean architects, including Seung H-sang, Chung Ki-yong, Cho Sung-ryong, Kim In-chul, and Min Hyun-sik, who are now active in Korea. The participating architects present their diverse philosophies of architecture under the grand theme of “What is architecture?,” a serious question still unresolved by architects. The 11 helpful and interesting stories introduced in this book include: architecture in general, philosophy of architecture, the importance of architecture as a means of realizing two concept─“residence” and “space,” harmony with the neighboring environment, the problems inherent in the so-called modernism-style of architecture, the necessity of architecture that copes with Korea’s climate, and the difficulty in explaining architecture in language.

This book has answers to lots of question: what is the concept of “dwelling”?; what is the impact of architecture on the dwellers and how could they intercommunicate with architecture?; what is the concept of different places on which architecture is built?; and what is well-made architecture? This book is a kind of introduction to the general readers who are interested in architecture.

The styles, contents and themes in each essay are different as they have been written by different architects. What their essays show in common is their deep introspection and philosophy on Korean architecture along with some criticism and touching remarks. This book also introduces the major architectural works of the leading architects to vividly show what architecture is.