International Architectural Competition: 2005
Project scope: complete competition project design
Project size: 820,000 sq. ft.
Christoph Kapeller: design architect
Team: Jana Cooper, Jeff Birkmeyer, Christian Chaudhari

In 2005, the city of Seoul organized an international competition for a new Performing Arts Center on an existing island in the Hang River. The program for the new center consists of an opera house, a concert hall, a music conservatory, museum, recording studios and other support functions. The proposal calls for a complete remake of the existing island. A series of 10 bands, each separated by water-gardens, harmoniously divides the event occurring above and below. While the program activities are generally located within the “bands”, the complete exterior is shaped as an accessible roof-scape. Differences between landscape and building are not apparent and the entire island develops into a solid “rock-like” shape in the river. The stepping edges of the new island provide equal shore conditions during the widely fluctuating water levels of the river. A hydro-dynamic study was conducted to ensure minimal impact of the new island on the existing river shore.