Unsangdong Architects shared with us their 1st prize winning project “Culture Forest”, a Culture & Art Center located in SeongDong-gu, Republic of Korea. The project is expected to be completed next year. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Forest lets us experience nature, heals our soul and mind, and makes us dream of a new future. In a forest, natural substances such as air, trees, water, soil and wind do not exist separately. The natural substances in a forest are linked together. Since forests provide a beautiful voice and stunning experiences, many people are amused with the harmony of forests and moon over the space of forests. The scenery looking at Seongdong will be as opened as possible, providing a landscape of intensive and storytelling experience. By planning eco-friendly architecture, the new cultural space will become a dreaming space. Each program consists of an eco friendly and creative cultural space by floating rest, events and green area. The space skin of culture will unify architecture and nature through green walls and generates energy by solar powered panel skin.

The flying theater has a unique and creative form. By geometrical patterns and forms of nature, the skin inside is a logical space for the sound. The entire space of the theater will be filled with dark wine color.

By using the crack of the inside skin, the lighting will become atypical and organic, suggestion an attractive theater space connecting reality, ideal and dream.

The walkway around the building naturally connects each program and becomes an intensive cultural street, converting from inside to outside and outside to inside. In order to become a sustainable culture space, the space should get over the basic rules. A multi culture complex is suggested to actively realize the needs of residents. Becoming a multi cultural facility that provides eco-friendly and healthy cultural living, Culture Forest will create various library programs for residents such as concerts, women’s culture and children playing area and become a landmark with beautiful culture, future-oriented dreams and passion of SeongDong.

Architects: Unsangdong Architects – YoonGyoo Jang, ChangHoon Shin, SungMin Kim Location: 656-323, SeongSu-dong, SeongDong-gu, Seoul, South Korea Project Team: MinTae Kim, HyeRim Seo, WonIl Kim, BoYoung Ahn, EunChong Cho Client: Municipality of SeongDong-gu Structure: Steel framed reinforcement concrete Use: welfare, education and research, culture, nursery school Site Area: 1694m2 Bldg Area: 1001.77m2 Gross Floor Area: 9597.37m