In a historic moment for Korean design, the Hanok Heritage House, planned and designed by Listen Communication, was honored with the top global award in the Hotel category at the Prix Versailles—widely recognized as the “World Architecture and Design Award.” The ceremony was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, hosted by the Prix Versailles Committee in collaboration with UNESCO and the International Union of Architects.
This marks the first time a Korean-designed project has been awarded the World’s Most Beautiful Hotel, a recognition traditionally dominated by global architecture giants. The Hanok Heritage House was praised for its cultural sensitivity, harmony with nature, and poetic reinterpretation of traditional Korean architecture.
Benjamin Millepied, Chairman of the Jury, noted: “This building makes our lives more harmonious and inspires us to create a better world.”
Founded in 2015, the Prix Versailles honors architectural works that embody originality, ecological innovation, sustainability, and cultural balance. Past laureates include architects recognized by the Pritzker Prize—often called the Nobel of architecture.
Designed by Listen Communication, the Hanok Heritage House is not a replica of the past but a quiet evolution of it—crafted in collaboration with Korean artisans, using traditional materials like wood, earth, and lacquer. It tells a story of refinement, ancient techniques reborn, and an elegant architectural language that resonates with modern life.
As Korean culture continues to gain global attention through K-pop, cinema, and cuisine, this architectural recognition signals a broader cultural wave—one where Korea’s spatial language, rooted in calmness and craft, finds a new audience.
The Hanok Heritage House is more than a building. It is a bridge between past and future, East and West—quietly but unmistakably, Korean.
