Saemangum is the name for the newly reclaimed area on the west coast of Korea by the architecture and urbanism firm poly.m.ur. It has been the country’s most anticipated reclamation project of recent years and promises enormous new opportunities for cultural commercial developments in the region. The brief was to provide an exhibition space to commemorate the completion of the work and showcase the visions and plans for this new land. The concept of the design was inspired by the lost mud flat in the area as the result of reclamation. Analogous to the mud flat, the building was designed to act as a ‘living field’, which breathe environment, programs, and activities.
The ‘breathable roof’, is penetrated by lights, air, movements, visual connections, vegetation, etc. providing continuous interactivity between inside and outside, and between floors.
The building consists of exhibition hall, café, theatre, and the viewing tower. While most of the exhibition program takes place on the basement level, the ground level becomes an open public space providing panoramic view of the sea in front with occasional penetration of exterior by small courtyards which lead up to the roof level.
The roof which is covered with grass and flower gardens replaces the ground lost by the building and becomes a new ground floor.
Architect: poly.m.ur Project Year: 2010 Project Area: 35,000SqFt. Location: Buan, Korea Photography: poly.m.ur
