The second floor of the main building has undergone a notable aesthetic change with the introduction of a themed, traditional wall in place of the standard white paint. The wall, recently unveiled in a grand opening shortly after winter break, was the result of a joint effort between the high school administrative team and the Seoul Architecture Preservation Club (SAPC) to recognize alumni and honor their contributions to the school.
“I think the wall gives more Korean flavor to the school,” Carson Park (12), admirer of the wall, said. “For us, being the ‘Seoul’ International School, I’ve always felt that we’ve lacked some Korean identity within the campus. The wall’s traditional architecture gives the kick and flavor that we need to distinguish ourselves as a ‘Korean’ international school.”
Located near the finance office on the second floor, the wall draws inspiration from traditional Korean architecture, featuring a tiled roof, a traditional Korean-inspired background, stone bricks, and illuminated paper screens flanking either side of the wall’s perimeter. A central TV screen and a large sign with the school motto, “Tradition of Excellence,” printed in both English and Chinese, are found at the center of the wall.
Most notably, some stone brick in the wall has a picture of students from the graduating year, recorded from 1988 all the way to 2024. This is to directly honor the alumni of each year and to recognize their contributions to the development and cultivation of the school’s longstanding record of success and respect. Previously, alumni pictures were hung up in what is now the senior lounge. However, they were removed a few years ago.
The wall’s design was credited to SAPC, with members working throughout the year to design and implement the wall. According to Gray Macklin, high school principal, the admin team reached out to SAPC first to propose revamping the wall early in the first semester, collaborating with them and the business office to bring the plan to fruition.
“Collaboration with clubs on this scale in the future is probable,” Mr. Macklin said. “Even though students shouldn’t expect approval for every project, we encourage and promote individuals to take risks and seek collaboration with the administration. In the end, we want students to have a voice and use that voice to fill in the school’s needs.”
