French Ambassador stresses architectural diplomacy

French Ambassador Philippe Bertoux hailed the 2026 Korea Herald Architecture Talk on Tuesday as a crucial platform for dialogue, emphasizing its special significance as it coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea, as well as the founding of Ewha Womans University.

The ambassador noted that the event, held under the theme “Architecture Beyond Borders -- Dialogue with Dominique Perrault,” further elevated the bilateral partnership, recently strengthened by the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Korea from April 2 to 3.

In his congratulatory remarks, the Ambassador described the forum's setting, the ECC, as a landmark achievement that "profoundly marked the Korean architectural landscape by introducing a new paradigm: a monumental yet discreet architecture, embedded within the terrain, where a valley becomes both a space of circulation and a place of life.”

“His projects are not only structures, but experiences, spaces that redefine the relationship between the visible and the invisible, the built and the natural,” he added.

The ambassador also highlighted Perrault's recent prominent projects, including the Villejuif Gustave-Roussy Station, which recently won the prestigious Versailles Award as the "most beautiful station in the world." He also drew attention to Perrault's ongoing Seoul project, the "Lightwalk" in Gangnam, noting its design as a "vast underground infrastructure" that transforms into a luminous public space of urban continuity.

Concluding his address, Ambassador Bertoux expressed his wishes for "fruitful discussions and exchanges, paving the way for new opportunities for cooperation between France and Korea.”