Power of Void

서울공예박물관

year of Completion: 2020

Project Location: Seoul, Korea

The landscape of the Seoul Museum of Craft Art presents the museum’s identity, which is the first public museum themed with craft arts and the home to over 20,000 pieces of Korean crafts through sophisticated landform making and material selection. It is situated in the old quarter of Seoul, where the Joseon Dynasty’s secondary palace was, later in the early 20th century, a women’s high school for 70 years. From the beginning of the design process, the landscape architect’s prime concern was preserving the layered sense of place (royal palace and high school) while trying to give the third life of accessible and welcoming public space. The Bakkat Madang, meaning frontcourt in Korean, is seamlessly extended from the street and welcomes all visitors in any age and conditions. In the An Madang, inner court, the sculpted slope and 5% winding path graciously approach upward to the 400-year-old Ginkgo tree, making the entire outdoor space universally accessible. The landscape became a part of the urban fabric and source of vibe to the community.

photo credit

jong oh kim