Exterior image of the Centre Pompidou
Hanwha Seoul ©Wilmotte & Associés
The design concept of ‘Centre Pompidou
Hanwha Seoul,’ the Seoul branch of France's world-renowned contemporary art
institution Centre Pompidou set to open next October, has been unveiled.
Jean Michel Wilmotte, the
globally acclaimed architect responsible for its design, described the concept
for Centre Pompidou Hanwha Seoul’s building as a “box of light” during the ‘Herald
Design Forum 2024’ held on October 8.
That day, Wilmotte explained
that the structure would be a “building made of wave-shaped opaque white glass”
and “use advanced façade technology to maximize the effects of light, both day
and night.”
Exhibition space of the Centre Pompidou
Hanwha Seoul ©Wilmotte & Associés
While the Centre Pompidou in
Paris features an iconic high-tech architectural style with steel frames and
exposed pipes, Centre Pompidou Hanwha Seoul aims for sustainable architecture
with organic curved forms. In contrast to the structural transparency
emphasized in Paris, the Seoul branch is designed to interact and harmonize
with its surroundings, reflecting landscapes during the day and emitting a soft
glow at night.
The Centre Pompidou Hanwha
Seoul will utilize approximately 3,300 square meters of remodeled space from
the basement to the fourth floor of the annex building of Hanwha's iconic 63
Building. The basement level will house the lobby and a large bookstore, while
the above-ground floors will feature exhibition spaces, an auditorium, a
sculpture garden, and a café. In the case of a temporary exhibition hall, it
consists of a large exhibition space with a minimum height of 4.5 meters and a
maximum height of 9 meters.
Exhibition space of the Centre Pompidou
Hanwha Seoul ©Wilmotte & Associés
One of the largest art museums
in France, alongside the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou
officially signed a contract with Hanwha on July 27 for the establishment and
operation of its Seoul branch. The museum is scheduled to open in October next
year and will be operated for a four-year term as per the agreement.
The opening exhibition of the
Centre Pompidou Hanwha Seoul will be a solo exhibition by Lee Kun-Yong, a
pioneer of Korea’s avant-garde art, set to be held in November next year.
References
Ji Yeon Lee has been working as an editor for the media art and culture channel AliceOn since 2021 and worked as an exhibition coordinator at samuso (now Space for Contemporary Art) from 2021 to 2023.
