Joel Sanders Architect

This second-place winning scheme for the redevelopment of Gangbuk Park transforms an abandoned amusement park and its surrounding hills into a network of themed paths that stitch this metropolitan landscape into the fabric of the city. Four ramped terraces framed by twin-wooded hills terminate the axis of a major boulevard that joins the heart of Seoul with this working class district.

A series of green spaces line the park’s perimeter and serve as gateways that link the surrounding communities with a network of three programmed trails – Learn, Play and Rest. Visitors can design their own experience according to their mood by following single or multiple activity paths. The paths converge and thicken to form three bridge buildings that span the two sides of the terraced valley. Learn features an interactive exhibition space, Play a sports complex and Rest a spa and meditation center.