Banpo-Hangang River Connection Park and Cultural Facilities

Client: Seoul Metropolitan Government

Location: Seoul, South Korea

Date: 2024

Type: Landscape, Culture

Area: 15000m2

Budget: KRW 108,622,000,000

AZPML

Alejandro Zaera-Polo, Maider Llaguno-Munitxa, Ivaylo Nachev

Our proposal aims to use the transport infrastructure to generate the topography of the new Banpo-Hangang River Connection Park. The park topography is determined by the E-W bands of infrastructure and extends it towards the new development South of Olympic-Daero and the Han riverfront on the North, as a ramped topography connecting the future park at +22.5 with the Cultural facilities at +15.50, and the Riverfront at +6.50.

The bands over the highway peel off and curl up and fold to create two graded areas shielded from the rain and the sun that can also be used as scenarios for public events. These two curls of the surface will contribute to shield the park spaces from the fumes and acoustic pollution from the roads by minimizing the impact of the roads and focus on the experience of nature and the natural elements of the site, i.e. the Hangang river.

The Cultural Centre facilities have been located under the topography of the Cultural Park (South-facing ramps, at +15.50, as the end of the Sinbanpo 15-Cha Park).

On the North side we have kept a 6m-wide Porch pointed toward the Riverfront Promenade, that could be used as a pedestrian refuge from the rain or to host small support services such a food vendors, cafes and park maintenance facilities. The area will be left free to be filled with programs as per future demands.

We propose to reuse the preserved housing block in combination with the Cultural Facilities South of Olympic-Daero to host a new institution to be created by SH: The Institute for Advanced Studies in Residential Development (IASRD). The building will be renovated to be structurally sound and to satisfy the latest regulations and sustainability requirements. Three passenger lifts will be added to guarantee a barrier free circulation throughout the building. The IASRD will offer residences for 18 global researchers and their families, to be hosted in the upgraded block. The 2 lower floors will be underpinned to fit small scale facilities for the fellows: individual offices, coworking, seminar rooms, library, salon, small exhibition space, café and mensa. The roof will be complemented with a greenhouse for experimental food production or as a naturally climatized outdoor space for winter gatherings.

The landscaping will be defined by native vegetation both in zones A and B. The Culture Park B, will feature large and small trees, benefiting from the natural soil. Culture Park A (over the Olympic-daero) will feature smaller trees and bushes which can thrive with soil depths of up to 1.5m. The planting has been concentrated in two major clusters, where trees can create habitats and tree societies. Being in large groups will also make them more resilient to strong winds.

Culture Park A will feature two panoramic auditoriums with generous views over the Hangang river, which will allow for all year-round performances. The two “forests” will provide shaded spaces for outdoor reading, picnic areas and playgrounds. One open lawn in the north east corner will allow for larger gatherings and events, with a belvedere over the river.