KyoBo Life Insurance Training Facility

Client: KyoBo Life Insurance Inc.

Completion Date: 1987

Korea's largest insurance company commissioned the design of this 330,000 sq. ft. corporate employee training and recreation center in a remote setting. The center contains 600 dormitory rooms, classrooms, lecture rooms, an auditorium, a gymnasium, restaurants and lounges for relaxation.

The spectacular view from the steeply sloping site was the inspiration for the design. The building's form consists of two parts: a serpentine wall, which follows the mountain's contour; and another form which steps down the mountainside. At the juncture of the building's two portions, an entry portal through the building frames the breathtaking view of the valley and peaks beyond.

Tai Soo Kim Partners' design sought to merge a sizable structure into the beauty of the setting. The goal was achieved through the building materials, color and form. Locally produced brick, which faces the serpentine wall in alternating layers of red and gray blends with the area's native clay tones. The building's form undulates with the natural contour of the site, evoking the image of an ancient fortress wall.