II.SEJONG CULTURAL CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

MAA-Melike Altinisik Architects + BAUM Architects + Aliveus Landscape, has been shortlisted for their proposal II.Sejong Cultural Center for Performing Arts. The urban design approach for THE SPARK, the II.Sejong Cultural Center for Performing Arts, is focused on creating a cultural complex that becomes a landmark in the heart of the city, blending nature and culture into a harmonious space for the community. Located at the corner of Yeouido Park, surrounded by the Han River on the north-east side and connecting waterside public activities towards the south-west, THE SPARK aims to preserve the existing ecosystem while providing an area for urban cultural events next to Seoul's international financial center.

 

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has revealed the five winning designs from the international architectural planning and design competition for the Yeouido Park II.Sejong Cultural Center for Performing Arts, which included MAA-Melike Altinisik Architects + BAUM Architects + Aliveus Landscape, Durig AG, DMP Architects + Viron, Heerim Architects, and Zaha Hadid Architects + ULD Studio.

Overall, their respective visions respond to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s brief. The aim of the competition is to transform Yeouido Park from a neighborhood into a cultural hub, with a leading project focusing on the river and increasing urban functions.

The design philosophy of THE SPARK is characterized by a harmonious blend of natural landscape, waterscape, culturalscape, and cityscape. It adopts an interconnected approach, distributing facilities among the waterside and park with an elliptical ring-shaped design, prioritizing cultural and natural values to create an environmentally friendly complex in harmony with its surroundings.The design enables visitors to access various cultural landscapes from multiple access points, providing continuous visual and natural circulation.

In between the separated cultural buildings, people can now walk freely on the ground level from all directions through the semi-covered Urban Passage and on the Elevated-Plaza. 

This concept generates a new type of public plaza, which connects the Waterside and Yeouido Park with elliptical ring-shaped pedestrian bridges.

These pedestrian bridges serve as observatory platforms for the visitors to experience a new type of journey in the city center of Seoul, offering captivating views of both the Han River and the Financial Center on one side and the scenic Yeouido Park on the other.

The bridges not only facilitate movement but also become an integral design feature contributing to the sustainable environmental role of the Cultural Complex. 

The cultural complex consists of five separated buildings: the Grand Performance Hall (2000seats), Medium Theatre (700seats), Museum & Exhibition, and Education & Management, all centralized to form THE SPARK. These buildings share a common basement level with underground parking for around 450 cars, ensuring convenience for visitors to access the concert halls, parks, and other facilities.

On the ground floors of the buildings facing the Urban Passage, the design creates in-between spaces that foster interaction between public outdoor areas and indoor spaces, enhancing pedestrian connections between the Han River, Yeouido Park, and the Financial Center. An Elevated-Plaza (+6.00) is designed to extend the park as a sloped hill and observation platform towards the Han River, City, and Park, offering visitors a unique experience of nature, culture, and architecture under the same roof.

The Grand Performance Hall and the Medium Theatre Hall are strategically positioned towards the north-east side, directly facing the Han River, while the Museum & Exhibition and Education & Management buildings are located on the south-west side, facing Yeouido Park.

Along the Urban Passage and Elevated Plaza level, art shops, cafes, and restaurants are arranged to encourage public gathering and spending more time within the cultural complex. 

Grand Performance Hall and Medium Theatre accommodates rehearsal rooms, restaurants and cafes towards the Han River with observation terraces where visitors will enjoy the Seoul City from a higher level.

Overall, THE SPARK is envisioned as a vibrant hub for the community, offering a variety of cultural experiences such as performing arts, exhibitions, museums, festivals, concerts, and other facilities.

It not only serves as a symbol for the city but also empowers citizens by providing them with ownership of public spaces and contributing to the cultural and social fabric of Seoul. 

The inclusion of the urban passage, elevated-plaza and pedestrian bridges adds a dynamic and visually striking element, enhancing the overall experience for visitors and further solidifying THE SPARK's role as a central landmark of the Cultural Complex.

The five teams selected in 1st phase made a public presentation at Seoul City Hall on September 8, 2023. The announcement of the winner of the 2nd Sejong Performing Arts Center International competition is scheduled for the first half of 2025.