Taekwondo Park World Headquarters / Weiss Manfredi

The new Taekwondo Park World Headquarters in Muju, Korea will become a world cultural heritage site meant to emphasize the spirit and beauty of the sport.  The master plan, which covers 570 acres, will be created by Weiss/Manfredi while the complex will be designed by Samoo Architecture PC.

More about the project after the break.

In October 2008, New York-based practice Weiss/Manfredi won the international master plan competition for the Taekwondo Park.  The master plan provides the guidelines and framework direction for the architectural, engineering and landscape development.

After the master plan was approved, a design-build competition was created for the park, due to the size and scope of the project.  The competition allowed several construction consortia and their design team consultants to work together (Samoo Architecture PC was part of the Samsung C&T Group). However, each competition submission was required to conform to the guidelines outlining landscape and building areas as presented in the Weiss/Manfredi master plan.

The park will be the home to the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation, World Taekwondo Headquarters, World Taekwondo Federation, Korean Taekwondo Federation, CISM Taekwondo Committee Headquarters, Taekwonjeon, Myungingwan, a sports arena, visitor and exhibition centers, a premier training and lodging facility.

The design of the park was inspired by the holistic training customary in the sport.  Taekwondo prepares the body, inspires the mind, and completes the spirit.  To translate these goals into an architectural atmosphere, Samoo created a site which fosters education about the foundations of Taekwondo.  The center includes areas that encourage Korean culture through an international network of exchange and the complex promotes sustainable synergy between the local economy to demonstrate shared commitment and cooperation.

By utilizing the planning methods of Weiss/Manfredi, and then implementing the architectural language of Samoo, the Taekwondo Park will become a cultural destination which will allow all to discover the artistry and spirit of Taekwondo in its birthplace of Korea.

As seen on Bustler.

Images are from both Weiss/Manfredi and Samoo Architecture PC