The Maison de la Corée was inaugurated on the 14th of December 2008 in the presence of Yoo Eun hae, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Education for the Republic of Korea, Choi Jong-moon, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in France, Gille Pécout, Rector of the academic region of Île-de-France, Rector of the académie de Paris, Chancellor of the universities of Paris and Jean-Marc Sauvé, President of the Fondation nationale Cité internationale universitaire de Paris, Honorary Vice President of the State Council.
With the Maison de la Corée we hope to contribute to the vitality of the Cité internationale and to the strengthening of academic and cultural exchanges and academic cooperation between Korea and France.
On the 17th of March 2014, a four-part agreement was signed for the construction of the Maison de la Corée. With this agreement, the chancellery of the universities of Paris gave 2600 m² of land to Korea. The house was half funded by the Korean Ministry of Education and half by the Fondation coréenne charged with student housing (KFPP). With this project, France and South Korea have affirmed their common desire to promote academic and scientific cooperation between the two countries by developing ways to welcome Korean students and researchers in Paris. This new house constitutes the Korean hub in Île-de-France and promotes the diffusion of Korean language and culture.
Designed by the team of Franco-Korean architects Ga.a architects and Canale 3, the Maison de la Corée reinterprets the basics of Korean spatial features: simplicity and serenity. It houses 250 student rooms and collective spaces: kitchens, music studios, artist workshops, sports rooms and work rooms. On the ground floor, the house has a multipurpose room intended for cultural events, a Korean restaurant and a grocery shop as well as a traditional garden. All of these spaces respond to the main ambition: to promote exchanges between students from around the world. The north-east façade, facing the park, is horizontal with a completely glass wall that is surrounded by walkways. The aluminium screens give the residents privacy.
Working in a binational partnership has been a real gift. Our common language was concrete because we didn’t want the quaint Korean style.
The central reception hall is a large space orientated towards the park. The large glass walls constitute the place’s identity and render it a welcoming space that also works as a temporary exhibition room.
A green terrace is embellished with a concrete canopy and a wooden bench that is a reference to the “pavillon du lettré” of the Korean tradition where scholars get together and talk.
The ground floor has a 200-place multipurpose room that welcomes cultural shows. The “Le comptoir coréen” restaurant and a grocery store also help to diffuse Korean culture.
The Maison de la Corée offers 250 student rooms and communal spaces to promote living together.
Want to visit the Maison de la Corée? Guided tours allow you to discover this exceptional heritage.