Dubai Expo Korean Pavillon by Moon Hoon

Korean Pavillon

Desert Flower
Morning sun shine is reflected by the hidden pannels. The dew and sand grains rest on the slowly rising panels, and as if they were diamonds, they shine wonderfully. With the end unknown, today’s festival begins.

Mass Game – spin cube
As if they were flip card displays in a stadium, the pixel cubes laid on the slope create new scenes. People come to natural smiles as new images come to display, including the korean flag, korean language, and even individually selected images. Through the exposed ramps penetrating the exterior, people enter and exit the boundary on which the mass game take place. As if flying on a drone, people discover a diverse set of views from different positions of varying heights and directions.

Analogue cube
A combination of different colors compose four sides of each cube. Unlike the banality of digital screens, the simple cubes spin mechanically and captures the sensibility of the analogue. Since each cube serve as an element of a halftone, infinite number of images and texts can be depicted in low-resolution. Every time the display changes, one can hear the sound of awe.

Outdoor expo
The four sides of the entire Korean Pavillion is a display area, the exhibition can be enjoyed from the outside. In addition, through the delivery of continuously changing information and images, the Korean pavillion will breathe life and energy to the surrounding environment.

Site
The site is an irregular octogon. The shape of the plot is extended to the maximum height in a pyramid like form. The steep slope faces the South to receive warm sunlight, and the North side is the exhibition facade. On the East side, there is no artificial obstruction for the main entrance, and on the West side, there are VIP access and small openings.

Spatial organization
Once entered through the triangular truss, one faces chunks of a stepped pyramid. On the left, the space to enjoy the food and beverage is interlocked with the truss, and the harsh sunlight of Dubai is softened as they enter through the gaps between the cubes that hold photoelectric voltage pannels in place. The macroscale milky way is a spiral. The microscale DNA is a spiral. The relatively middle scale rotation of the Earth in the solar system is also a spiral.

Program pyramid
The stairs that extend to the second floor and the leaning stepped wall make the interior space look like a pyramid from the event plaza. The program pyramid is organized in the most efficient form to reduce the area of the exterior surface. The exterior of the programmed spaces under the trusses are finished with glass to allow light that enter between gaps of the spinning cubes.

Augmented exhibition
The unit or collection of cube pixels can be viewed through an app. Like the common driver HUD, the augmented exhibition scene can be enjoyed simultaneously with the smart phone app. Of course, one can play the Donkey Kong game included in the app, climbing the ramp to save the girl friend.

Sun screen
Between the gaps of the spinning cube pixels, light and breeze enter the interior space. The cube pixels reflect the heat of the beaming sun, and the temperature difference in the interior spaces create natural ventilation. Of course, there are full air conditioning facilities inside the restaurants,
offices, and praying room.

Cool seat
The stepped walls outside the office space is the resting area for the visitors and the audience seatings for interior events. Between the gaps in the stairs, cool air seeps out to make the area more comfortable and popular. Source by Moon Hoon.

  • Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Architect: Moon Hoon
  • Project Team: Moonhoon, Yun seongbong, Kim donggyu, Park sanghyeok, Park gibum, Kim minsung, Choi sang min, Park jiwon
  • AOR: Archicorp Architectural Engineering
  • Structure: SDM Partners / Archcorp Architectual Engineering
  • Construction: SsangYong E&C
  • Client: KOTRA
  • Year: 2020
  • Photo and images: Courtesy of Moon Hoon

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