Wandering In the Clouds by CAA Architects

Wandering In the Clouds
Wandering In the Clouds
Image © CAA Architects

Concept
CAA reveals their latest concept project, ‘Wandering in the clouds.’ Inspired by Taoist concept of ‘Yi,’ The project is illustrated as a metaphorical ‘cloud,’ which surrounds the mystical mount Yukyang in Samcheok city. The Architecture is stimulated by the cloud forms depicted in east Asian ancient fine art and is manifested as a series of bridges and buildings that embrace a sacred mountain within.

Wandering In the Clouds
Image © CAA Architects

The design program includes museum facilities, a culture and arts village, as well as the remembrance and memorial gardens. Once these elements are combined together, they create a figurative place of culture and nature, which draw historical and symbolic reference from the city to embody the eastern spirit of General Yisabu, whom the museum and memorial park is dedicated to.

Wandering In the Clouds
Image © CAA Architects

Location
Yisabu memorial park is located to the South-East of Samcheock, the capital of Gangwon-do in South Korea. This is preferred location as an entrance to South Korea, in order welcome people from around world. Furthermore, Yisabu memorial gardens as a belt anchors Dokdo and its affiliated islands to the peninsula of Korea.

Wandering In the Clouds
Image © CAA Architects

Memorial Gardens
The whole park encircles Mt. Yukyang; 2400m2 in total of wetland, botanical plantations and gathering facilities for pondering South Korea and general Yisabu’s great achievements in the serenity of the peaceful environment. ‘It can be seen, but it will not stay, it is blown by the wind, but it leaves no trace behind. Floating between the ground and sky, the cloud is the best medium to create a relationship between these two identities, yet at the same time it exists in its own manner.’

Wandering In the Clouds
Image © CAA Architects

Skybridge
Beginning at the Yisabu museum, the cloud belt extends to both sides of the mountain, connecting the culture village, hotel and museum in one continuous sky loop, allowing these different elements to form a cohesive relationship, yet maintain their own individuality. The continuous sky bridge encloses the whole community of buildings and provides a space allowing a dynamic conversation to happen between humans and surrounding natural environment. Once in the vicinity, the human is not only a visitor, but also a part of nature.

Wandering In the Clouds
Masterplan

Museum
The building’s bold twisted shape displays its power as a metaphor for Yisabu conquering this island of Dokdo in days gone by, meanwhile the overall form makes bold contrast with surrounding urban fabric, turning the entire Architectural design into a distinguished landmark. The concept of the cloud reappears across the three floors, with floating bridges and corridors within the building’s envelope that connect all the primary spaces. The three storey’s are circulated without any staircase, just a continuous slope which is created to enforce the ‘wandering’ concept.

Wandering In the Clouds
Landscape Diagram

Landscape
The whole memorial park is developed from two primary elements, which then grow from two centers; Mt. Yukyang and the museum. These provide the starting point which then inform the rest of the landscape design. A former road which has been removed for the design, dissected the site is now sewn together with a reflection pool. This behaves as a natural mirror, enhancing majesty of the museum, and creates an ambiguous divide between the real world and an alternative upside-down world.

Wandering In the Clouds
Exploded axonometric

Then, two rock formations in the pool then symbolize Dokdo and Uleungdo islands, which highlight the sense of the ceremonial feeling as people step into museum and learn about the history that this park represents. At the end of this ceremonial passage, an important symbol of Yisabu’s existence, the wooden lion baths in sunshine underneath an oculus in the buildings envelope, creating a divine atmosphere soaked in historical reference.

Wandering In the Clouds
Sections

Arts and Culture village
The opposite side of Mt. Yukyang is where the Arts and Culture village is located and presents itself as the display window to promote the city’s development process at a crucial intersection of several primary roads. The original neighborhoods urban grain has been sensitively adapted to provide 20 new units of permanent homes, workshops and shared creative spaces that allow artists and creatives to gather and collaborate. Source by CAA Architects.

Wandering In the Clouds
Wall detail
  • Location: Samcheok, Gangwon do, Korea
  • Architect: CAA Architects
  • Chief Architect: Liu Haowei
  • Project Team: Felix Amiss、 Zhao Xingyun、Edward Ednilao、Tang Lu、 Zhang Pan、 Deng Yue、Ren Zhuoying
  • Client: City of Samcheok in Gangwon do
  • Area: 24,000 m2
  • Gross Area: 8000 m2
  • Date:12/2017
  • Images: Courtesy of CAA Architects

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