Museum of World Writing Design Competition - Incheon, South Korea
(with Stefano Rocchetti)
Writing is a dependable method of recording and presenting transactions in a permanent form. Its invention has been driven by the practical necessity of exchanging information, maintaining financial accounts, codifying laws, recording history and cultural reasons such as the need for maintaining traditions, dissemination of knowledge through the media as well as the formation of legal systems.
All the various writing systems have this common denominator, even if they are completely different and structurally unrelated to each other, they were all born from the necessity to communicate and preserve memory and knowledge.
This common ground between the different writing systems can be represented with a tree where the trunk is the core (the necessity from which everything starts) and the branches are the different writing systems that developed based on any particular culture, its influences, location, etc.
Our building wants to represent this relationship.
All the various writing systems have this common denominator, even if they are completely different and structurally unrelated to each other, they were all born from the necessity to communicate and preserve memory and knowledge.
This common ground between the different writing systems can be represented with a tree where the trunk is the core (the necessity from which everything starts) and the branches are the different writing systems that developed based on any particular culture, its influences, location, etc.
Our building wants to represent this relationship.
Exterior View
Site Plan
Sections and Elevations
Bird's Eye View
The central circular core is the main distribution element, it is the trunk from which the museum takes shape and develops around. Each floor represents one branch of the tree and the core is the generative element which they stem from.
Different offsets from the core perimeter define each floor’s depth and in the same way two lines tangential to the core define the sides. The resulting proportions of the slices obtained by the offsets and the tangential sides are driven by the program needs and area requirements of the overall massing. The immediate site is the element that defines the orientation of the branches that stem from the core. Each floor, therefore each program, has a specific orientation in accordance with the views surrounding the site whether it is towards the water-space, the Central Park or the city.
Different offsets from the core perimeter define each floor’s depth and in the same way two lines tangential to the core define the sides. The resulting proportions of the slices obtained by the offsets and the tangential sides are driven by the program needs and area requirements of the overall massing. The immediate site is the element that defines the orientation of the branches that stem from the core. Each floor, therefore each program, has a specific orientation in accordance with the views surrounding the site whether it is towards the water-space, the Central Park or the city.
Exploded Axonometric Diagram
The central connector is the main element that connects the different areas formed by the generative grid subdivision. The
connector takes the visitors through an organic and exciting series of spaces and zones, with alternating hard and soft scapes,
water ponds, different green areas, covered areas where students can gather and learn about the museum exhibition, different
landscape level with big steps, amphitheater and playful sculptures.
connector takes the visitors through an organic and exciting series of spaces and zones, with alternating hard and soft scapes,
water ponds, different green areas, covered areas where students can gather and learn about the museum exhibition, different
landscape level with big steps, amphitheater and playful sculptures.
Ground Floor Plan
Level 01 Floor Plan
Level 02 Floor Plan
Level 03 Floor Plan
Roof Plan Level
On the north/east corner of the landscape, the second floor massing above covers the water pond and part of the landscape hill
from which a series of big semicircular steps follow the water pond perimeter and create a natural amphitheater. The main stage
is placed inside the water, submerged and invisible when not in use and then lifted up by a motorized system over the water level
when necessary.
The first floor of the museum building overhangs over the south square on the south/west side of the site. This cantilever is
supported by a “forest of columns”, a playground and a visual filter made by a series of small columns placed 2 meters apart
from each other and with a diameter of 20 centimeters each. The rhomboid distribution of the forest of columns derive directly
from the landscape design and is delimitated on the west by the connector that runs across the landscape from north/west to
south/east, by the landscape hill on the north, and by the pedestrian path surrounding the main water pond on the south.
from which a series of big semicircular steps follow the water pond perimeter and create a natural amphitheater. The main stage
is placed inside the water, submerged and invisible when not in use and then lifted up by a motorized system over the water level
when necessary.
The first floor of the museum building overhangs over the south square on the south/west side of the site. This cantilever is
supported by a “forest of columns”, a playground and a visual filter made by a series of small columns placed 2 meters apart
from each other and with a diameter of 20 centimeters each. The rhomboid distribution of the forest of columns derive directly
from the landscape design and is delimitated on the west by the connector that runs across the landscape from north/west to
south/east, by the landscape hill on the north, and by the pedestrian path surrounding the main water pond on the south.
