Busan: The Latest Architecture and News

Peter Ruge Architekten shared with us their entry for an international competition to design a new opera and theatre house in Busan, Korea. The city of Busan has a specific geography consisting of mountain areas that connect directly to the Pacific Ocean, great nature, a high population density, and an urgent demand for public spaces to be used by the inhabitants. By taking advantage of these characteristics, they were able to develop the concept for their design. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Recently opened, SOM designed, Lotte Department Store Gwangbok branch in Busan, Korea requested Yamasaki Ku Hong Associates Design Lab (YKH) to modify the existing ‘roof garden’ to allow and amplify users to enjoy the spectacular view of Busan Port. Additionally, the client requested us to find a way to increase ‘brand identity’ and ‘sales volume’. Existing conditions of roof garden with two separate observatories were not efficiently designed and more importantly were not connected; there were a possibility to increase two floors of additional retail area. YKH have come up with a new idea called, ‘Way-Pod’; Way Pod is derived from I-Pod, creating a hardware that could evolve with time. Way-Pod is comprised of ‘Way’ – free of charge, elevated view corridor – and ‘Pod’ – with charge, entertainment hardware for fun, culture and event.

As the first prize winner for an invited design competition, Yamasaki Ku Hong Associates Design Lab actively adopted the terrace concept throughout the site to design the Marine Terrace Resort in Yongho-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, Korea. The objective of the competition was to create a next generation resort-style luxury condominium and a boutique hotel complex which capitalizes the on the amazing view experience and provides maximum privacy. By locating terraced residences on a cliff edge, the residents are able to experience an ‘undisturbed’ view of the sea as well as an open residential park in between the villa towers and terrace housing. More images and architects’ description after the break.

This is an international ideas competition to establish a design for the Busan Opera House to construct in 2014. The design will be based on a variety of ideas from both domestic and foreign specialists, as well as student groups. The opera house will include a variety of facilities that will foster a wide range of artistic activities all the while being accessible to the city’s citizens. The grand scale of this project will be suitable for Busan’s status as an international city.