OMA / Chris van Duijn won the competition to design a new campus for Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. The proposal introduces a cluster of low-rise buildings interconnected by a network of public spaces molded on the existing topography of the site. The design aims to reemphasize the university’s connection to the city and its neighboring areas and to introduce greenery and various open spaces creating a seamless connection between roof terraces, outdoor courtyards, and sunken plazas. The winning proposal was chosen from the entries from established international practices, including SANAA, Herzog & de Meuron, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and David Chipperfield Architects.
The private university, renowned for its design and arts programs, has continued to expand on the slopes of the Wau mountain since its beginnings in the 1950s. This year, the local authorities eased restrictions on building on university grounds, opening the possibility of developing a new campus located on an open field at the foot of the mountain.
According to OMA< the project is conceived as an extension of the Wau mountain, utilizing a topographic approach and strategically positioning the buildings so that their roofs can act as interwoven paths sheltered by trees and connected to the main access points of the site. The network of sloping outdoor courtyards represents an invitation for students to gather and interact informally. In addition, the geometry of the courtyards allows natural light to enter deep into the campus.
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OMA / Reinier de Graaf Presents Elevated Plaza and Trapezoidal Headquarters Concept for UniCredit in Munich, GermanyFrom a functional point of view, the buildings are organized in three main sectors: high-tech laboratories near the Engineering Faculty, student amenities in the center, and maker spaces positioned toward the Hongdae neighborhood. A new art center is positioned in the middle of the development, while the perimeter is occupied by a multipurpose learning hub. The entire campus is designed so that no type of amenities is located at more than three levels apart, allowing circulation to flow through all the buildings and the connection with the larger neighborhood is strengthened.
The new Hongik campus adds another chapter to OMA’s involvement in cultural projects in Seoul. This is a project that shies away from conventional labels: it is a building, a master plan, and landscape design all at once. It purposely avoids standing out and invites it to be discovered gradually. In doing so, it aims to reestablish the connection the university once had with the neighborhood. - Chris van Duijn, Partner at OMA
Recently, OMA/Shohei Shigematsu has inaugurated the long-anticipated Buffalo AKG Art Museum, a contemporary intervention in a historical site. The office has also unveiled the design of their first project in Bangladesh, the Dhaka Tower, set to become one of the tallest buildings in the country, and the competition-winning design for UniCredit’s new Headquarters in Munich, Germany, a project led by Reinier de Graaf.
