Sunchen Art Platform
Sunchen, South Korea
Sunchen Art Platform Competition Entry
with Dimitrios Karopoulos, Kris Kiyoon Kil & Ryszard Rychlicki
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The design for the Suncheon Art Platform infuses the critical elements of the old Yeonja-Ru with the Art and Visitors center to create a new typological architecture. Open in its function and iconic in its appearance, the Yeonja-Ru is a public place for gathering, playing, resting, and various communal activities. Set on a grid and raised on pilotis, the structure provides views from a higher vantage point. The Yeonja-Ru concept is adopted in the design for the Art Platform in Suncheon for its spatial economy and architectural iconicity (1).
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hotel units surround
courtyards
hotel units surround
courtyards
hotel units surround
courtyards
hotel units surround
courtyards
hotel units surround
courtyards
The immediate goal is to reinvigorate the Suncheon Art Platform by increasing its visibility at major intersections and corridors surrounding the site. Five critical anchor points, raised four meters above grade level, are marked. The first two points are set parallel to the Okcheon Stream, maximizing its architectural presence along the water front. These two points established the primary axis of a 9x9 meter grid which organizes the internal and external spaces of the design. The third point is set at the intersection of Joonany-Ro and The Street of Fashion to engage with bustling urban life. Northwest from there is point four, where it connects the Palmabi and the northern half of the site. The final point stretches southwest where it is visible from The Street of Culture and also reaches the western half of the site, where there will be a sculpture park (2).
The points are connected by rounded edges to create five welcoming communal spaces to host anything from sculpture displays to social functions. Set within this soft perimeter are five courtyards that organize the internal functions of the Art Platform. The layout is centered on a pinwheel plan that features small galleries along the inner edges of the courtyards and can be viewed by pedestrians passing below. Visitors to the Art Platform can enter the building through three different courtyards that all connect at one central space. Once inside the main reception hall, guests can explore the art and activities on display in each of the unique courtyards.
Major programmatic functions take place along the outer edges of the site: Administrative, storage, and working spaces are set along the busy Joonang-Ru; exhibition, education, and experience spaces face the quiet landscaped region of the site; and the cafeteria and new Yeonja-Ru overlook the Okcheon Stream and Old City.
Along the outside periphery of the Art Platform, the 9x9 grid that organizes the internal program extends to the external landscape, creating curated outdoor spaces that have a direct relationship to the interior functions.
Sandwiching the programmatic functions is a saw-toothed roof and a 3,000 sqm parking garage. In order to maximize the site for pedestrian use, parking is below grade, directly underneath the proposed design and connects to the existing underground shopping center. This positioning relieves the site of cars while reviving the sub-terrain experience.
Covering the programmatic functions is a saw-toothed roof that extends from the Okcheon Stream to the intersection of Joonany-Ro and The Street of Fashion. This roof, though simple in form, is dynamic in its integration with the city’s culture, including a contemporary interpretation of the Yeonja-Ru.