Park1538 Gwangyang Iziko Lenkcubeko by Unsangdong Architects and Posco A&C

Park1538 Gwangyang Iziko Lenkcubeko by Unsangdong Architects and Posco A&C is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Ibhaso Leplatinam le-A' Design Award in Uyilo lweZakhiwo, Isakhiwo kunye neMilo Competition Category.

IplatinamUyilo lweZakhiwo· 2026

Park1538 Gwangyang Iziko Lenkcubeko

by Unsangdong Architects and Posco A&C

Client: Posco

Ibhaso Leplatinam le-A' Design Award Winner in Uyilo lweZakhiwo Category

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The Design

About Park1538 Gwangyang Iziko Lenkcubeko

IPark1538 ikwisixeko esinembali ende yentsimbi. Le projekthi iguqula eli lifa lorhwebo lwemveliso libe yindawo yenkcubeko evulekele uluntu, kwaye yazisa iindwendwe kwizinto ezisetyenziswayo, inkqubo, kunye nembali yokwenziwa kwentsimbi. Intsimbi idla ngokubonwa njengento enzima nengagobiyo, kodwa le projekthi ibonisa elinye icala lale mathiriyeli ngokuvakalisa ukuguquguquka ngokwesimo nangokwesithuba. Iholo eliphakamileyo elingaxhaswanga ngezantsi (cantilever) lidala indawo evulekileyo yembutho ngezantsi, ngelixa imiqolo ethe nkqo ikhokela iindwendwe kwizithuba ezinamaleko kwaye idibanisa amanqanaba ahlukeneyo esakhiwo.

The Recognition

About the Ibhaso Leplatinam le-A' Design Award

Park1538 Gwangyang Iziko Lenkcubeko ngumphumeleli weIbhaso Leplatinam le-A' Design Award, ukuqatshelwa okuhlonitshwayo kakhulu okunikwa imiyilo eyahlukileyo ngokwenene, entle nenobungangamsha. Abaphumeleleyo bePlatinam zizimanga zendalo, ubungqina bemida yobuchule bengqondo, kwaye babonisa ubungcali nobuchule obungenakuthelekiswa babayili babo. Le miyilo iyathenjwa ukuba ibe yeyona misebenzi idumileyo echaza ubuhle bexesha, ineegalelo kwintlalontle yoluntu kwaye inyusa imida yobugcisa, inzululwazi, uyilo kunye nobuchwephesha. Park1538 Gwangyang Iziko Lenkcubeko ibonisa inqanaba elingaphaya kokuqhelekileyo lokugqwesa kwaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo yenza ihlabathi libe yindawo engcono ngeempawu zayo eziluncedo nezixabisekileyo. Park1538 Gwangyang Iziko Lenkcubeko ngumsebenzi ophumeleleyo weIbhaso Leplatinam le-A' Design Award ovusa iinqwenelo, ukhuthaza, ushukumisa, uvuyisa kwaye udala uvuyo olukhulu.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Located in a city shaped by steel production, Park1538 transforms industrial identity into cultural value. It serves as a public platform engaging visitors with the material and history of steelmaking. Steel is commonly perceived as rigid and heavy, yet the design reveals its latent flexibility, redefining it as a spatial and formal principle. A cantilevered exhibition hall creates an open plaza, while ramps and vertical ribs guide movement through layered spaces.
Dimensions & Packaging: Building Scale: Exhibition Hall: 1 Basement Level, 4 Above-Ground Floors, Education Center: 1 Basement Level, 3 Above-Ground Floors Structure: Steel Frame, Reinforced Concrete Structure
Tags: Steel Architecture, Industrial Heritage, Cultural Platform, Cantilever Structure, Structural Expression, Long-Span Structure, Industrial Regeneration, Civic Architecture
Production Technology: The project was developed through structural experimentation with vertically oriented steel ribs of varying curvature and inclination, functioning simultaneously as load-bearing frames, facade elements, and spatial guides. Long spans were achieved through precise parametric coordination between structure and envelope. Circulation was conceived as a three-dimensional sequence shaped by ramps and a grand stair integrated into the structural logic. The landscape reconfigures the flat industrial ground into planted mounds, embedding former machinery as sculptural artifacts.
Design Challenge: The rib goes beyond a simple envelope. It functions simultaneously as structure, space, and finish, almost like a living organism. Therefore, even a minor change in the position or size of an interior room inevitably causes interference or conflict among the reference module, the linear finishing of the ribs, and the steel truss structure. These concerns were addressed from the early design stage through precise 3D modeling and verification simulations. Integrating the distinctive form with a rational facade system and structural stability required a highly advanced level of integrated design coordination.
Research: This research was site-based, focusing on a former greenhouse within Gwangyang Steelworks of POSCO, surrounded by heavy industry yet framed by the Seomjin River and Baegunsan Mountain. The objective was to transform a production-oriented site into a public cultural space. Through historical study, site analysis, and user mapping, we examined industrial heritage and environmental contrasts. The result reconnects industry, landscape, and community, turning a closed industrial ground into an open civic platform.
Inspiration: The design draws inspiration from the name of the city, Gwangyang, which means sunlight. Sweeping, curved surfaces reflect and refract light throughout the day, making the building a dynamic presence. The fluid geometry of the steel expresses both its weight and surprising adaptability, turning strength and flexibility into sculptural yet purposeful architecture.
Project Duration: The project started in September 2020 and was completed in April 2025.
Operation Flow: The project operates as an open public platform where structure and circulation shape the visitor experience. Movement unfolds through ramps and vertical transitions, gradually revealing framed views of the city and industrial landscape. The cantilever creates a sheltered plaza, extending public space beneath. Steel ribs act as structure, facade, and spatial guides simultaneously, enabling long spans and flexible layouts. This integration of structure and space results in clarity, adaptability, and immersive engagement.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Unsangdong Architects Cooperation, 2026
Team Members: Architects Firm: Unsangdong Architects
POSCO A&C
Lead Architects: Yoongyoo Jang
Changhoon Shin
Mijung Kim
Dongkeun Kim
Architects: Minkyun Kim
Eunsol Ko
Siyoung Lee
Nahee Kwon
Moonhwan Kim
Hee Cho
Seongmook Lim
Seho Ahn
Kyungmo Kim
Bosung Park
Image Credits: Photographer Sergio Pirrone, Park1538 Gwangyang, 2025
Video Credits: Sergio Pirrone