The Korea Zinc KG Safety Education Center, winner of the grand prize at the 2026 Ulsan Metropolitan City Architecture Awards [Photo by Yun Jun-hwan]
The Korea Zinc KG Safety Education Center, winner of the grand prize at the 2026 Ulsan Metropolitan City Architecture Awards [Photo by Yun Jun-hwan]

The KG Safety Education Center, submitted by Diffusion Architecture Office (CEO Kim Jae-seong), has won the grand prize at the 2026 Ulsan Metropolitan City Architecture Awards, an annual competition the city holds to advance architectural culture and enhance the city's character.

The Ulsan city jury evaluated 43 entries across four categories — public, general, residential and renovation — based on creativity, functionality and public value, selecting seven works in total: one grand prize and six excellence awards, the city announced Tuesday.

The grand prize winner is a building within the master plan for the Korea Zinc Onsan Smelter site. The jury praised its vertical louver facade, which evokes the non-ferrous metal production process and expresses Ulsan's industrial identity. The design was credited with overcoming the locational constraints of an industrial facility while projecting a forward-looking image that could help soften Ulsan's gray industrial-complex image.

The excellence awards went to: in the public category, the Children's Reading Experience Center in Dangsa-dong, Buk-gu (Kultra Architecture, Heo Chang-ryeol) and The Wave in Maeam-dong, Nam-gu (Kultra Architecture, Heo Chang-yeol; Ulsan University, Kim Beom-gwan); in the general category, Star Office Building in Maeam-dong, Nam-gu (Daeum Architecture, Kim Myeong-geon) and Insighton headquarters in Yugok-dong, Jung-gu (Tia Architecture, Kim Hun); and in the residential category, Ddeungok in Dangsa-dong, Buk-gu (On Architecture, Jeong Ung-sik) and Migaho House in Duseo-myeon, Ulju-gun (Stay Architects, Hong Jeong-hui).

All winning buildings will receive a commemorative bronze plaque, and both the building owners and designers will be presented with trophies. The works will be displayed to the public through scale models and photographs at the 10th Ulsan Architecture and Culture Festival, running Oct. 14 to 18.


cityblue@heraldcorp.com