“도시를 더 인간적인 공간으로 바꾸는 것이 우리의 과제” 토마스 헤더윅 디자이너 2025.3

2025. 3. 31. 09:50아티클 | Article/인터뷰 | Interview

“Our task is to change a city into a more human space”

 

 

 

건축은 단순한 스타일이 아닌 감정적으로 연결되는 공간
람들과 상호작용하는 디테일·공공의 가치 설계에 담아야
한국의 전통, 장인정신에서 영감 받아 창작에 반영해

 

“건축은 사람들에게 공공서비스를 제공하고 있다는 것을 의미합니다.”


세계적인 디자이너인 토마스 헤더윅(Thomas Heatherwick)은 신간 출간을 기념해 가진 본지와의 인터뷰에서 건축의 ‘공공성’을 내내 강조했다. 그는 지난 세기 동안 도시는 점차 비인간적인 모습으로 변모해왔다며, 이를 개선하기 위해 사회의 연결성을 확보하고, 건축을 일상적으로 접하는 사람들과의 감정 교류에 충실해야 한다고 제안했다. 그가 말하는 ‘더 인간적인 건축’은 무엇인지, 일문일답을 통해 확인해 봤다.

 



Q. 작품 활동이 아닌 신간 출간 소식으로 우리 매체에서 처음 조명하게 된 것 같습니다. 독자들에게 인사와 함께 신간 『HUMANiSE』에 대한 소개를 부탁드립니다.

In reality, the idea of writing a book just fills me with feelings of pain because I’m not naturally a writer, and I never dreamed of writing books. However, the motivation of my studio and my work has really been about trying to have the greatest amount of impact and make the most meaningful change because it feels like we’ve had a catastrophe in cities—of dehumanization—over the last, almost a century even.
I realised that even though I have a studio, and we’re 250 people with the chance to work on significant scale projects around the world, the real impact is minuscule in terms of numbers and change it can bring about in the cities as a whole. And if your goal is to express yourself, or to try and improve the public experience for society in cities as we become an increasingly urban species, then I couldn’t ignore anymore that there might be a bigger impact possible—over and above my own projects—which is to try to help a bigger public conversation happen.

사실 책을 쓴다는 것은 생각만 해도 고통스러운 일이 아닐 수 없습니다. 본래 작가를 의도했던 것도 아니기 때문이고, 이렇게 책을 쓰게 될 줄은 꿈에도 생각하지 않았습니다. 다만 헤더윅 스튜디오와 집필하게 된 계기는 많은 이들에게 폭넓은 영향력과 커다란 변화를 일으킬 수 있다고 믿었기 때문입니다. 지난 1세기 동안 너무 많은 도시가 ‘비인간적’인 모습이 되어 버렸고, 마치 재앙처럼 보였기 때문입니다.
헤더윅 스튜디오에는 세계 각국의 대규모 프로젝트를 진행할 수 있는 250여 명의 스태프가 있지만, 도시 전체에 영향력을 미치기에는 역부족이라는 걸 깨달았습니다. 또한 사람들의 도시 사회에 대한 경험을 개선할 목적이라면 프로젝트보다 사람들과의 대화가 훨씬 커다란 영향력을 미칠 것이라는 사실을 간과할 수 없었습니다. 그래서 많은 사람들이 논의의 장을 열 수 있도록 돕기 위해 출간을 하게 된 것입니다.


  
Q. 책에서는 ‘따분한 비인간적인 건축’과 ‘관대한 인간적인 건축’의 대비가 선명하게 드러나 있는데요. 평소의 소신과 건축을 대하는 자세를 엿볼 수 있는 대목이라고 생각합니다. 그렇다면 우리 건축사가 인간적인 건축을 하기 위한 선행조건은 무엇이 있을까요?


I really like that question because I feel that we have been stuck for many decades in treating architecture as if it’s about style—wars of style—whether something is modernist, brutalist, metabolist, or traditionalist. We’ve had an elite conversation that has become detached and partially delusional about where the real value is in buildings, how it relates to the public.
The populations of cities are rising rapidly, and we are already close to the point where half of the entire planet lives in cities. Almost 70% of us will be living in cities in a couple of decades. Cities and streets have increasingly not been designed to act as the meeting rooms of society. So there is a dramatic shift needed to rethink how we design streets—from conduits for transportation to gathering points and meeting places for people.  
Evidence shows that when streets are empty, they’re more dangerous. You’re more likely to encounter crime or antisocial behaviour. How do we make streets alive with activity? The buildings play a part in this. The walls of public The walls of public life are formed by buildings and they must work alongside street trees, paving, and transportation. I’m very interested in how we make society see itself, celebrate itself, and cherish and value one another. 
I hope I can be a catalyst for others to speak up, connect, and help us become much more respectful of society’s feelings and much more generous in spirit. Our real role isn’t just to impose things on everyone, but to create projects that enrich the public environment—projects that may have a chance of standing the test of time because of the care, engagement, and joy they bring.
Just as in the world of business leadership, where the idea of servant leadership is now well known—where good leaders lift up those around them—I see our role in designing cities and streets as a form of “architect servanthood”.  

지난 수십 년간 건축업계는 모더니스트이든, 브루탈리스트·메타볼리스트·전통주의자이든 상관없이, 마치 건축에서 스타일이 전부인 양 소위 ‘스타일 전쟁’을 치러왔다는 느낌이 듭니다. 건축물의 진정한 가치가 어디에 있는지, 그것이 사람들과 어떻게 연관되는지와는 무관하게, 때로는 망상적인 엘리트식 대화를 이어갔던 것 같습니다.
도시 인구가 급증하면서 현재 지구 인구의 절반 이상이 도시에 거주하는 상황에 이르렀습니다. 불과 몇십 년 안에 인구의 약 70%가 도시에 거주하게 될 것으로 예상됩니다. 그러나 도시와 거리의 설계는 점차 사회의 미팅룸 역할에서 멀어지고 있습니다. 이에 따라 교통수단의 통로를 넘어 모임과 만남의 장소로 거리를 변화시키기 위한 극적인 전환이 필요합니다.
거리가 한산할수록 위험이 증가한다는 증거가 있습니다. 이는 범죄나 반사회적 행동에 노출될 가능성을 높이기 때문입니다. 그렇다면 생기 있고 활기 넘치는 거리를 만들기 위해 무엇을 해야 할까요? 여기서 건물의 역할이 중요합니다. 야외 공공 공간의 벽체 구조물은 가로수, 포장도로, 교통수단과 조화를 이루어야 합니다. 이러한 조화는 사회가 자신을 어떻게 바라보고, 기념하며, 서로를 소중하고 가치 있게 여기는지를 반영하는 흥미로운 과정이라 할 수 있습니다.
건축사는 사람들이 서로 연결되고 의견을 나누며, 사회의 감정을 더 존중하고 정신적으로 관대한 사람이 될 수 있도록 돕는 촉매제 역할을 해야 합니다. 이는 모두에게 무엇인가를 강요하는 것이 아니라, 풍요로운 공공환경을 조성할 수 있는 프로젝트를 만드는 데 있습니다. 배려, 참여, 기쁨을 바탕으로 오랜 시련을 견딜 수 있는 프로젝트를 만들어야 합니다.
비즈니스 리더십에서 잘 알려진 서번트 리더십처럼, 훌륭한 리더가 주변 사람들을 격려하듯이 도시와 거리를 설계하는 우리의 역할은 일종의 ‘건축사의 섬김’이라고 할 수 있습니다.



Q. 현재의 건축사 양성과정이 창의성 대신 타협과 순응을 부추기는 경향도 있다고 밝히셨습니다. 때문에 따분한 건축이 양산될 수도 있는 문제인데요. 건축사 양성을 위한 교육의 목표는 무엇이 되어야 하고, 어떤 커리큘럼이 필요하다고 생각하는가요?

I think we need a shared conversation that goes beyond any single profession, a mindset shift toward public service that cuts across all these roles. Each of these professions—and even architectural criticism—needs a profound re-think. We have been too focused on an academic perspective, with architecture stuck in an echo chamber where every new building wins awards that are handed out by the industry to itself. It’s become an insular, self-important exercise.
There’s huge potential to transform how building designers are educated. For instance, we could introduce shorter courses that allow people from many different backgrounds and life stages to pursue architectural education. The current seven-year study model, which is normal in many parts of the world, is prohibitive. It effectively excludes older individuals and anyone who isn’t able to dedicate so many years of their life to training.
Architecture is a highly collaborative field. It involves many people working together. We need to move away from an overly theoretical and academic focus toward real analysis of what does and doesn’t work in the built environment. That includes interviewing communities, analysing contributing factors, and finding measurable ways to understand how people respond to spaces. 
Architecture has an enormous responsibility. Designers must care deeply about how their work impacts people. Public service and public responsibility must be at the core of what we do.

한 가지 직업을 뛰어넘은 의견 공유, 즉 다양한 직업에 걸쳐 공공 서비스에 대한 사고방식의 전환이 필요하다고 생각합니다. 건축 비평도 깊이 있는 고찰이 필요합니다. 지금까지 우리는 학문적 측면에만 치중해 왔고, 무조건 새로운 건축이 수상하게 되는 편향적인 에코챔버(Echo Chamber)의 상황을 만들었습니다. 그러면서 점차 고립되고 자기중심적인 일이 되었습니다.
건축 설계자를 위한 교육방식을 변화시킬 가능성은 무궁무진합니다. 예를 들어, 다양한 배경과 연령의 사람들에게 좀 더 짧은 건축교육 과정을 도입할 수 있습니다. 현재 전 세계 많은 곳에서 통상적인 7년제 교육과정을 운영하지 않고 있고, 이는 고령자나 오랜 시간을 투자할 수 없는 사람들에게 매우 효율적인 방식입니다. 건축은 상당히 협업적인 분야입니다. 많은 사람들이 함께 일해야 합니다. 지나치게 이론적이거나 학문적인 관점에서 벗어나 건축 환경의 실제적 효율성을 분석해야 합니다. 커뮤니티 인터뷰, 기여 요인 분석, 공간에 대한 사람들의 반응을 측정할 수 있는 방법 등을 찾아야 합니다. 
아울러 건축의 책임은 막대합니다. 건축 설계자는 자신의 일이 사람들에게 어떤 영향을 미치는지 깊이 생각해야 합니다. 공공 서비스와 공적 책임이 우리 업무의 핵심이어야 합니다.

 


Q. 한국의 장인정신에 대해 높이 평가하셨는데요. 혹시 본인의 디자인 과정에서 이를 적용했던 사례가 있거나, 한국 전통 건축의 미적 가치에서 영감을 받아 작업하신 적이 있는지 궁금합니다. 

Yes, I’ve been deeply inspired by Korean craftsmanship—textiles, calligraphy, metalwork, ceramics, and enamel. For example, the tapestry work of Jogakbo has left a strong impression on me. 
I grew up surrounded by craftspeople. I built my first structures with my own hands and learned various crafts like glassblowing, pottery, weaving, knitting, joinery, and jewellery-making. Craft isn’t just a source of ideas; it instils respect for materials. 
Unfortunately, the over-academic approach to architecture has distanced generations of designers from the craft element of their work. At its core, architecture is about crafting the largest objects humans can create—buildings. To do that well, we need the mindset of a craftsperson, not just a theorist. 
Through initiatives like Humanise and events like the Seoul Biennale, I hope to shine a light on this rich tradition. South Korea offers an extraordinary blend of traditional and modern design, weaving history into contemporary innovations. This approach can inspire buildings that aren’t just theoretical or sculptural, but emotionally resonant. 

네, 저는 한국의 직물, 서예, 금속 가공, 도자기, 유약 등에서 드러나는 한국의 장인정신에 깊은 영감을 받았습니다. 그중에서도 조각보의 태피스트리 작품이 특히 인상 깊었습니다.
저는 장인들 사이에서 성장했으며, 제 손으로 첫 건축물을 짓는 경험도 했습니다. 또한 도자기, 직조, 뜨개질, 목공, 보석 제작 등 다양한 공예를 배우며 성장했습니다. 이러한 경험은 단순히 아이디어의 원천이 되었을 뿐만 아니라 재료에 대한 깊은 존중심을 심어주었습니다.
현대에 이르러, 안타깝게도 학문에 치중한 건축 방식으로 인해 여러 세대의 디자이너가 공예적 요소를 등한시해왔습니다. 건축의 핵심이 인간이 만들 수 있는 가장 거대한 물체인 건물을 짓는 것임에도 불구하고 말입니다. 변화를 위해서는 이론가의 관점이 아닌 장인의 마인드가 필요합니다.
휴머니즈와 같은 이니셔티브와 서울도시건축비엔날레와 같은 이벤트를 통해 한국의 전통이 더욱 풍부하게 확장되길 바랍니다. 한국은 현대적 스타일과 전통을 완벽하게 조화시키며 현대적 혁신으로 역사를 엮어내는 데 성공해왔습니다. 이러한 방식은 단순히 이론적이거나 조각적인 것에 머무르지 않고, 감정적 공감을 불러일으키는 건축에 영감을 줄 수 있다고 생각합니다.

 


Q. 마지막으로 국내 독자들에게 전하고 싶은 메시지가 있는지?

What I do believe in, though, is that there’s a human-scale detail that’s essential. In my book, I refer to this as “door distance”—the richness that we shouldn’t consider an unnecessary luxury.  
I believe the most significant change can happen at street level, in the details we add to everyday buildings. I’m not here to push for crazy, curved buildings or to insist that everything be less square. I don’t care about the shape—what matters is that we continue to bring detail, story, and artistry into whatever we design. 
People often say “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. The beholders are the millions of people who walk past public buildings every day. Architects should be passionate about how these people feel when they interact with their buildings.
None of the passersby have attended architecture school or studied design theory. They won’t be swayed by your lecture about modernism —they need something that connects with them emotionally. If we design for emotion, for that stranger who’s just passing by, then we’ve succeeded. 
Let’s move away from the false economies of what good design is and focus on what really matters.

인간적인 디테일이 중요하다고 생각합니다. 책에서는 이를 ‘door distance’라고 표현하며, 불필요한 사치가 아닌 풍부함의 가치를 강조했습니다. 가장 큰 변화는 거리에서, 그리고 일상적인 건물에 디테일을 추가함으로써 시작될 수 있다고 봅니다.
이는 이상하게 휘어진 곡선 건축이나 덜 각진 건축 형태를 추구해야 한다는 주장이 아닙니다. 중요한 것은 우리가 무엇을 디자인하든 디테일, 스토리, 그리고 예술성을 지속적으로 불어넣는 것입니다.
‘아름다움이란 보는 사람의 생각에 달려 있다’는 말이 흔히 사용됩니다. 여기서 말하는 보는 사람은 매일 공공건축을 지나치는 수백만의 시민들입니다. 건축사는 행인들과 건축이 상호작용할 때 그들이 어떻게 느끼는지에 관심을 가져야 합니다. 거리의 사람들은 건축학교를 다니거나 디자인을 공부한 적이 없습니다. 또한 메타볼리즘에 관한 강의의 영향을 받지도 않습니다.
따라서 뭔가 감정적으로 연결될 수 있는 요소가 필요합니다. 만약 우리가 그 감정을 이끌어 내고, 낯선 행인들을 고려해 건축을 설계한다면 그 건축은 성공했다고 말할 수 있을 것입니다. 이제는 좋은 디자인이 무엇인지에 대해 잘못된 경제성에서 벗어나, 정말 중요한 것에 집중할 때라고 생각합니다.

 

 

 


인터뷰 토마스 헤더윅 디자이너 Thomas Heatherwick 헤더윅 스튜디오
글 박관희 기자