Martial Arts Headquarters

Case Study of Martial Arts Headquarters

By: Kyle Miller

         The World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA) built their new headquarters in Burlington, North Carolina. This is a place where martial arts can change a person’s mind, body and spirit regardless of their physical capabilities. The WTSDA has 150,000 members worldwide and the headquarters creates a place where they can come together and practice martial arts for the next generations. The first building that was completed was the two-story, 13,500 square foot office with living space for Grandmaster, the founder of the WTSDA, museum and school. Later to be built is the 6,000 square foot health center. The last building to be built is the gymnasium and living quarters. The inspiration was to make a spiritual place to cultivate the art and culture.

        The façade is using the concrete masonry unit (CMU) and glass. The Red CMU Strip is to symbolize the Master’s Rank. Also the circle drive has the symbol of the South Korean flag because of the Tang Soo Do originated in Korea and indicates the Korean heritage. The Tang Soo Do promotes integrity, focus, perseverance, respect, self-control, humility and     spiritual growth. This case study helps me understand the architecture and culture of martial arts. I can take this information and put it into my thesis to understand how positive impacts of architecture on the behavior of students afflicted with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by using martial arts.