Project Specifications:
- Architects: UnSangDong Architects
- Area: 140 m²
- Year: 2021
- City: Nowon-gu
- Country: South Korea
- Lead Architects: Yoongyoo Jang & Changhoon Shin
- Design Team: Jiyeon Woo, Sohyun Yim, Hyejung Kwak, Changgeun Lee, Yongchul Lee, Youngdong Goh, Myeonggil Jung, Seoyeon Joh, Jaeho Song.
- Photographs: Namgoong Sun
The Imagination circle Pavilion by UnSangDong Architects is a 140 m2 observatory that is a revamp of the existing one. This project was ideated to be an observatory that provided a sense of amusement and a scenic view of the surrounding naturistic backdrop. The ideology behind the design was to create a pavilion-like art piece that overlooks the entire cityscape, serving an aesthetic and functional role. Let’s see imagination circle.
This barrier-free zone is located along a trail path in a regional nature community-centric space. It is used by the local people who come here to take a stroll or a walk around this space. Surrounded by ample greens and vegetation around, this observatory is an ideal spot for scenic views. The preservation of nature also allows rich flora and fauna to create a natural landscape amidst the urbanized city.
The peak of this imagination circle pavilion is the final destination while strolling easily around where one forms a seamless connection between nature and the city life that provides a landscape amusement for a journey over the site.
A panoramic vertical trail takes the user towards the curved staircase that wraps the entire pavilion. The staircase seems to have an organic twist to it as if it is trying to merge itself within the surrounding naturistic context. The pavilion is designed as a playground for interaction between nature and humans. While moving towards the top, the staircase takes a 360-degree journey towards the entire park, bringing in natural views throughout the journey. A wrap of nature all around, allows this vertical journey to be less tiresome than anticipation.
The pavilion intends to stroll itself within the forest to form a part of it while bringing out its true beauty to the public eye. A poetic pavilion in itself assimilates with nature while incorporating the forest and the sky to create an attractive observatory. The concept of inclusivity towards a formative mystique is seen as the user never lands up in a space without the initial journey between the forest. Mountains and sky.
A Playground of Culture and Art
There are two streamlined staircases with a single elevator that converge within the observatory. This gives the user an option to choose how they go vertical within the pavilion. It also has to handicap friendly options to do so.
The core idea here is that both of these staircases present different perceptions, views and landscapes while going up and down. Each pathway narrates a new story through nature and all that it has to offer. This adds a sense of amusement while walking throughout the pavilion. This in turn creates a playground for culture and art to merge under a humane design that pays homage to nature.
The pavilion becomes a three-dimensional aperture of the landscape due to the staircases running around. The structural columns support the entire observatory and a stainless ceiling light on the bottom part of the pavilion allows visibility even at night. The deck offers picturesque views of the surrounding Bulam Mountains and its greenscape landscape. The artificial pavilion helps in enhancing the natural precinct by adding a literal ‘elevated experience’.
A Poetic Observatory
The Bulam Mountain has a lower altitude which allows the elevated pavilion to take the user as close to the natural experience as possible. The mountain is shaped like a heavy rock with valley lines along with a diverse variety of vegetation.
The streamlined form of the observatory helps in creating a holistic experience for this pavilion. This form creates a free-flowing poetic language that enhances the pavilion design while creating a nest within nature.
UnSangDong Architects
UnSangDong Architects is an architectural group formed by Professor Yoongyoo Jang and Chief manager Changhoon Shin. They believe in experimentation through conceptual architecture that manifests into potential architectural outcomes that are culturally diverse. They are involved in diverse fields like architecture groups UNSANGDONG, UNSANGDONG publication, gallery Jungmiso, YOOEDI interior, UNSANGDONG art, etc. They also take part in various exhibitions and planning commissions.
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Final words
They run an experimentative practice that focuses on Korean Architecture. In 2018, they were awarded the Grand Prize of Seoul Architecture Award with ‘Sopoonggil Community’. They have also won the Public Space Part in The Plan Award, a magazine publication along with the Top Prize of the Seoul Architecture award and the Korea Architecture Culture Award.
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