KOREA FOUNDATION

COVER STORY

The Infinite Possibilities of ASEAN architecture
By Kang Young-hwan Professor (Department of Architecture, University of Ulsan)

The ASEAN region is home to magnificently-designed cities and resplendent architectural cultures. It is where people from all over the world discover new possibilities for humankind through the diversity of its architecture.
We cannot help but ask: who created all of this architecture? When, and why, did they create it? Western explorers began tracing the history of the region’s fascinating architecture while trekking through its dense jungles. It is only very recently that Koreans started learning about the historical and civilizational exchanges, cultures, and religions as well as lush natural environments of the countries surrounding the Indian Ocean (Myanmar’s development of the Buddhist pagoda, Indonesia’s creation of new architectural formats based on elements of Hindu and Buddhist civilizations, etc.). We still, however, have no clue exactly how wide-reaching the roots of ASEAN’s diverse and profound architecture are. All we know are the parts of the roots that protrude from the ground.

The contents of all articles may differ from the editorial direction of the ASEAN Culture House Monthly.