TPLA

Competition Winning Entry - 1st Prize for Nodeul Dream Island international competition hosted by Seoul Metropolitan Government

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Team: MMK+ and Taehyung Park

Location: Nodeul Island, Seoul, South Korea

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Connecting to the broader context of Han River, Nodeul Maeul’s new landscape concept creates two distinctive island characteristics: restore the wild nature of the island, while re-programming its natural features as a cultural venue. This opens and reconnects the island to the city and its people. The island’s new west side event space acts as a buffer between the architecturally programmed spaces, and the wild nature on the lower level.

The multi-faceted planting strategy has four distinct phases: preservation and removal of decaying plants, seeding and nurturing new plant-life, adding programmatic planting, and curating edge-defining planting. These strategies enhance the ecological system in the existing island forest by mixing old and new, and breathing new life into the forest to create a natural space to walk, stroll, rest, and explore.

Framing the architecture and nature, the island is catalyzed by Upper and Lower circulation loops. The Upper Loop is a smaller radius, and connects the Eco-learning center, Han River observatory, Nodeul Forest, and the Lower Loop via a hill on the west side of Nodeul Madang. In contrast, the larger Lower Loop wraps the whole island with a promenade, urban beach, bike center, and observation deck. With two circulation loops, and diverse outdoor landscape programs, Nodeul Maeul will be entangled with social events, cultural experiences, and natural explorations.

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