SPACE April 2024 (No. 677)
Winning proposal of Design Competition for the Hapcheon Meteorite Impact Crater Hub ©Seoroga Architects
On Jan. 11, the result of the Design Competition for the Hapcheon Meteorite Impact Crater Hub, conducted by the Tourism Promotion Division of Hapcheon-gun, was announced. The Hapcheon Meteorite Impact Crater, located across Chogye-myeon and Jeokjung-myeon in Hapcheon-gun, is the only meteorite impact crater terrain in South Korea, resembling a volcanic crater with its deep concave shape. Hapcheon-gun has embarked on the establishment of the Hapcheon Meteorite Impact Crater Hub to capitalise on this as a tourist resource and to meet the requirements for national geological park certification and UNESCO Global Geopark certification. One of the main objectives of this competition was to excavate storytelling elements by connecting the topic of meteorites and geology with the current issues that are not enough for Hapcheon Meteorite Impact Crater alone. The winning proposal by Seoroga Architects (co-principals, Kang Jungku, Gu Kyoungmi) expresses the time of the land created by the meteorite in architectural terms. The central courtyard, encountered through a narrow entrance, symbolises the form of the meteorite impact crater, and the internal functions are arranged around the courtyard like fragments of scattered earth. The jury had especial praise for the way the building harmonises with the surrounding landscape and for the urban organisation through the ‘change of segmented layers’ in the building’s elevation, as well as for the introduction of more efficient circulation by arranging each functional room around the outdoor space in the centre of the building. The Hapcheon Meteorite Impact Crater Hub is expected to provide a space for various exhibitions and experimental activities using VR and AR, as well as areas for visitors to rest and enjoy themselves. The site is in 194-2, 194-11, Chogye-ri, Chogye-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, with a land area of 3,000m2 and a gross floor area of approximately 990m2, and the facility will be constructed as a single-storey building.
