The Organizing Committee of Expo 2012 Yeosu has announced the winning entries at the press conference on the 19th of October. The first prize winner is Soma Architects in which four Austrian architects have participated in partnership. They are Günther Weber, Kristina Schinegger, Stefan Rutzinger and Martin Oberascher.
The Thematic Pavilion will be one of the major facilities of the Yeosu EXPO held 2012 in South Korea. It’s exhibitions will give the visitors overview and introduction to the Expo’s theme, “The Living Ocean and Coast”.
The aim of the design is to create an iconic landmark that is integrated into its urban context and the surrounding nature.
From the architects:
‘We experience the Ocean mainly in two ways, as an endless surface and – in an immersed perspective – as depth. This inspires the main concept for the Thematic Pavilion, continuous surfaces that twist from vertical to horizontal orientation and create two exhibition spaces with contrasting spatial qualities. Continuous transitions between contrasting experiences also form the outer appearance of the Pavilion.
Towards the sea the conglomeration of solid vertical cones defines a new meandering coast line, a soft edge that is in constant negotiation between water and land. Opposite side the pavilion develops out of the ground into an artificial roof–landscape with gardens and scenic paths.
The topographic lines of the roof turn into lamellas of the kinetic media façade that faces the Expo’s entrance and the “Digital Gallery”.’
Consultants
Structural Engineer: D.I. Christoph Brandstätter ZT GmbH, Salzburg, Austria
Climate Design: Prof. Dr.-Ing Jan Cremers, Stuttgart, Germany
