Concept
The site is located on the edge of newly built, high-rise residential blocks and the small-scale city fabric. The intricate and sensitive context of the new building generated the central questions underpinning the design: How to create a dialogue between the two? How to respect and preserve the area while experiencing a persuasive presence of huge developments in the background? How to form new links in the district and bring healthy coherence to the institution itself?

The project emerged from the idea of creating a green amphitheatre accommodating two distinct programmes on a triangular site: an open garden which acts like a terraced amphitheatre for viewing the city panorama, and the elevated landscape that preserves the original land surface silhouette and where the roof acts like a fifth facade and a garden at the same time.

The building accentuates the existing sloped relief that naturally acts like a terraced park-garden with views towards the Bakhusan National Park to the West, and Ohpae Mountain and the Dream Forest Park to the East.

Intimate interior and exterior green roofs are created for the structure and a perimeter block morphs into small-scale curvy shapes to downscale the urban appearance. From the streets, the building appears as a richly detailed wall full of voids while representing terraced gardens from the city skyline.

The enclosure of the perimeter wall creates a safe and pleasant environment for the children and visitors. We offer maximum privacy while allowing them a closeness and continuity of space, organised around a garden, like a cloister in the city.