Suncheon International Wetlands Center
by G.Lab

G.Lab* by Gansam Architects and Associates of Seoul have designed a visitors’ centre for the wetlands in Suncheon, South Korea.



Called Suncheon International Wetlands Center, the design was based on the imprint left by receding tides.



Meandering paths lead to a visitors centre, with each function housed in a separate structure.


Each glazed building has a green roof and is shaded by timber bars on the facade.

Here’s some more information from G.Lab*:
–
Suncheon is one of the 5th largest tidal flats in the world, making it an international wetland that attracts approximately 2.8 million visitors in 2008. The methodology for this design began with the concept of leading visitors through the wetlands to the Suncheon Bay.

The imprint of the receding tide water becomes the concept for this design.

The visitor’s center is placed at the Northeast corner of the site, identified with meandering pathways which encourage and direct visitors to experience the wetlands and outdoor exhibitions.

The choreography of these pathways allows visitors to experience the topographical change of the site from forest to wetland.

The placement of the building maximizes both the picturesque views to the mountains beyond and to the river, creating a visual continuation of both the water’s path and visitor’s circulation.

The buildings and pathways are designed to minimally affect the natural order of the protected wetland.

Recesses in the pathways around the building allow for the wetland to continue under the structures.

Building functions are separated into distinctly different envelops to allow for greater climactic control and lessen the overall energy usage. The wooden façade is intended to minimize summer sun exposure, maximize potential winter day lighting and blend with the surrounding woodland to the north.


Framed views from the gallery through these wooden slats capture light and help set the mood for this visitor’s center.

Providing connectivity to the 2013 garden expo, and the greater city of Suncheon, this design intends to reconnect visitors to nature and a network of facilities designed to teach about wetland preservation.

The green roof continues the language of the mountains beyond, allowing the gallery interior unobstructed views to nature.

Suncheon International Wetlands Center
Architect: G.Lab* by Gansam Architects & Associates
Location: 540 Ochon Dong Suncheon City, Jeonnam Province, South Korea
Client: Republic of Korea
Project Architect: Chuloh Jung
Design team: Dae Hyun Im, Sang Hyun Son, Daniel Da Rocha, Tana Hovland, Alex Cornelius, Lawrence Ha, Lyla Wu

Site Area: 33,000 m²
Building Area: 8,300 m²
Floors: First, Second
Building Coverage: 25 %
Competition Year: 2009

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steel coffin. Leupold Schafroth.

Leupold Schafroth have recently completed a visitor center on the badgers.  
Certainly the place. It was the Falls of the Rhine was a must for all tourists, for each class or a Sunday outing to the Swiss family, grew this in itself as an impressive natural phenomenon in recent years widespread competition from the new - Animation - e interactive. The initiates of the building to carry the plants a little dust affected the environment in general and the implementation of a visitor center before the castle of execution in particular.




To be an integrated infrastructure consisted of a souvenir shop, restaurant and public toilet rooms, and later became a multipurpose room. The visitor center is only a third of its size, a new building. The place was already busy with the house staff, we have expanded and the transformation into a public building with a representative character doomed.
The solution to this difficult task, we could make our contribution to increasing the attractiveness of this important post.
 
Location
The city has influenced the design.

In our work we give the general debate of urban primacy. In the specific case of the solution should be running and not to mention a less interesting composition values. The historic castle, the Church as sacred and secular construction of the visitor center are alone in a triangular relationship and focus on the tower door. The company achieved through the establishment of the new visitor center as a primary way to organize small public space in preparation for the new palace and guide the flow of visitors from space.
 
The centrifugal forces with such diverse interests are always great. Meant simply work hard to meet all legitimate needs of both and the unity of the architectural work can be realized. So the basic argument of the draft competition proved to be robust, with only the gift shop gave way to a duplex apartment and released an additional volume of a multipurpose room. A stroke of luck, and we all appreciate today.
 
Floor

What is the project's relationship with the age structure? Were there any major change project or changes in a learning process, the purpose of architecture?

Even in the competition program for the visitor center, a seasonal planned. We have developed this idea for folding marquees, so that when closed should reinforce the impression of a body at rest. The extension was requested for the building owner to operate all year, and considerable technical demands on mobile devices in public places, eventually led to solid shelters, which are derived from its realization, but the original idea.

Already in the design competition was the idea of ​​enclosing a metal mesh design element of training. The development was that the current solution may react better with perforated steel weatherproof plates for different needs and perspectives, as well as strength.
 
Average

How is the building with his designs of others and incorporates it into the number of your works?

As architects, we are often entrusted with modifications and improvements. The visitor center shows once again that we give to our individual work, or the integration of different applications in the roof preferences through an addition of different volumes. Maybe this is our modest contribution to keeping the world.

Laufen Castle Visitor Centre
 2010
 Badgers ZH
 Building Owner
 Property Office of the Canton of Zurich, represented by the Building Department Zurich
 Orders
 Invited competition
 Architecture
 Leupold & Schafroth Architekten AG, Zurich
 R. Matthias Leupold, Stephanie M. Bee, Jenny Thekla Leitz, Caroline Bock, Fortune Head
 Planners
 Static: Walt + Galmarini AG, Zurich
 Electrical: A. stone columns, Kloten
 HVAC: Home 3-Plan Automation AG, Winterthur
 Construction Management
 Schmid Architekten, Zurich
 Significantly involved with business
 Metal facade Aepli Metal AG, Gossau SG
 Interior Shopfitting: AG Robert Fehr, Andelfingen
 BCC construction costs 2
 Millions of CHF 4:57
 Construction volume
 4'355 m3 (SIA 416)
 Price per cubic meter
 CHF/m3 1050

 

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