The structures built in the Hwasong area according to the grandiose plan of the Workers' Party of Korea to turn the area of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the sacred temple of Juche, into the centre of socialist civilization are model edifices representing the times.

The creations showing marked changes in the light of street architectural formation, shape of the buildings and architectural techniques are also architectural masterpieces representing the times.

The Pyongyang Times reporter Kim Il Jin recently interviewed architects about the issue.

With new streets springing up one after another in the Hwasong area, Pyongyang has taken on a more magnificent and beautiful appearance, I think. Would you like to tell me about the new architectural features of Hwasong Street?

Ryang Pong Jin, dean of Pyongyang University of Architecture: It is the core of urban construction to prioritize the convenience of the people in our country.

The area of land and buildings were effectively laid out for the convenience of the people and a new architectural type was applied in Hwasong Street. The proportion of dry finishing was increased to add modernity to the city beautification, public catering, commercial and public service facilities were built within housing estates and major and side roads were connected to provide convenience for the inhabitants. As it was built in a wide area of over 150 hectares, 2 000 flats were additionally constructed in it to provide enough architectural density.

Ri Un Gwang, section chief of Pyongyang University of Architecture: The artist’s impression of Hwasong Street was completed in a new fashion quite different from the previous ones, while drawing on the experience gained in the construction of 10 000 flats in Songhwa Street, to give viewers a clear division of the times.

To be concrete, Hwasong Street is regularly divided into sections and the vertical and horizontal buildings are distributed rationally in it to ensure the density of the buildings and good harmony of the whole sections. As a result, the size of each building is different, but they all serve to make the whole street look magnificent. And though the architectural groups are distributed in a way of fanning out, vertical buildings are concentrated at the entrance to the street and the height of buildings is increased or reduced in the direction of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to provide the whole street with artistic reciprocity, compatibility and connectivity like an artwork.

Rim Jong Hui, researcher at Pyongyang University of Architecture: To talk about the features of its formation, a twin tower building of a unique style is distributed as an iconic building of the street to suit its characters and a Korean-style architectural building is placed at an important position, thus combining modernity and national character perfectly while ensuring the depth in the street formation.

The elevation of buildings was also planned in an open way, free from the stereotyped forms, to remove the sense of oppression from the heavy solid, give a neater, softer and lighter feeling and to make them blend in well with the surrounding environment.

In the formation of colours, gentle yet dignified colours were employed to ensure solemnity to suit the character of the street, while creating subtle differences between the sections to highlight the sentiments of the times and modern aesthetic taste.

As you know, Rimhung Street was built forming a new large architectural group. What do you think are the features of the street distinctly different from those of Hwasong Street?

Rim Chang Nam, deputy director of the Paektusan Institute of Architecture: Rimhung Street can be claimed to be a wonderful group of architectural structures built by preserving the unique features and flavours of Korean style in its breadth and depth.

The characteristics of the street are that high-rise apartment houses for 10 000 families are packed in a small area, which is only half of that of Hwasong Street, by employing the site-saving city formation method, the current trend of construction, and repetition is avoided.

An Chun Sam, designer of the Paektusan Institute of Architecture: If you see the artist’s impression of Rimhung Street or visit the street, you will notice the harmony of colour of the buildings at first sight. It is a characteristic of the street that the designers gave a strong contrast of colour in each building. For example, they used the combination of brown colours with such light colours as white and grey to highlight the clear contrast of colour in order to make the buildings look imposing and dignified. Buildings are varied in storey, which give an effect of solidity to the whole street and the conspicuous roof construction has enhanced the architectural beauty of buildings.

Kim Kum Chol, section chief of the Paektusan Institute of Architecture: It is one of the important features of the street that the first-floor service systems of each building are connected with each other. The whole street is beautifully landscaped with green grasses, trees of good species and flowerbeds of various forms and decorated with harmonious illuminations.