Ewha Campus Complex finally reveals its grand shape

Witnessing the never-ending construction of Ewha Campus Complex (ECC) was a routine for the Ewha students for the past three years. But most of them are happy to see the construction, begun in May 2005, finally over. “The last three years of the construction of the ECC has been disturbing. But at the same time, people had great expectations. Finally in my last year on campus, I am really so happy to be one of the first users of this historic project,” said Byun Seon-Young (Chinese Literature,4).

  Construction of the complex, designed by French architect Dominique Perrault, was completed in January. All the facilities in the ECC will be usable starting in March. “This brand new space was designed in order to raise the educational and cultural standards of Ewha to international levels,” said Professor Kang Mi-Seon (Architecture) who was the chief director of the Ewha campus construction team. The ECC is open to all Ewha students, not designated for a certain department. All students can take advantage of this multi-purpose building equally. Also, we are planning to open some of the facilities to the local community so we can share the convenience of the campus facilities.

  This multi-purpose educational underground campus complex consists of six floors including two floors of parking spaces. The first floor will hold various classrooms including an international conference zone, multimedia classroom called U-class, the English Program Office, a Global Lounge where students can meet foreign professors ina cafe-like setting, and two midium sized classrooms. “The International conference zone will be used like a set of ordinary calssrooms, but on Fridays or weekends, it will be opened to all kinds of external forums and conferences to enhance the efficient use of the building,” said Kang.

  U-class is short for “Ubiquitous classroom,” a room full of multimedia equipment such as an electrical blackboard and a computer attached to every seat. “This classroom is designed to keep in pace with the ubiquitous era, enabling students and professors to communicate more intimately through advanced information techonology,” said Kang.

  The Global lounge is a cafe-like area organized by the English Program Office to help students keep up with English concentration classes, and especially to assist them build their speaking skills. Foreign professors will be waiting at the lounge in its opening hours so that students can have an opportunity to talk with foreigners freely whenever they need help with classes taught in English.

  The second and third floors of the campus complex are designed for academic purposes. Study rooms with about 900 seats are located on the second and third floors of the building to allow students to pursue their individual studies. “Being busy preparing for employment in my last year on campus it is great to have such study rooms. I think it would be even better if they were open 24 hours,” said Yang Mun-jung (Political Science & Diplomacy,4).

  Also, about 40 seminar rooms will be open on the second and third floors of the ECC for students to do group assignments and studies. Computer rooms and two small sized multimedia workshop rooms will also be available to enable students to create their own multimedia projects. Eight additional classrooms will be opened for ordinary lectures, with about 10 lectures to be newly held in ECC from this spring semester.

   The fourth floor is designed for cultural and welfare services for students. Kyobo Book Center, one of the largest bookstore chains in Korea, has opened. “Thanks to the Kyobo Book Center, students would no longer have to go too far to buy text books. I think students will be more academically satisfied with such a convenience,” said Han Bin-na (Law, 2). In addition to the bookstore, Linko, a stationary store, and a copying store run by Cannon are launched.

  The fourth floor of ECC is also designed for cultural activities of Ewha students. An art performance theater with 774 seats is equipped with various facilities so that students can present musical performances. Also, a small student theater and two cinemas are prepared too. “I think it is great to have theaters opened on campus. Ewha students would have more chance to enjoy arts performances, but I hope these facilities will be opened for student clubs to do performances,” said Kim Sun-young (Psychology, 2) who is a member of E-mu, the school musical club.

  About 300 pyeong (about 990 square meter) fitness center is also located on the fourth floor managed by the department of Health Education & Management. The fitness center is planning to organize exercise programs for students.

  To diversify food supplements on the campus, a food court and GS 25, a convenience store operating 24 hours a day, are located on the fourth floor. Also, a bakery will be placed in the food court and two restaurants will be open for professors and faculties. Other well-known shops like Starbucks, a coffee chain, and Dr. Robbin, an organic cafe, are placed. Dr. Robbin is preparing low price menus for Ewha students.

  This underground campus center serves as short cut for the students , making many buildings on campus easily accessible. “It was so hard to get to the Law Building since the road was blocked by the construction field. But, it is a very welcoming news that ECC construction has been finally finished,” said Han.