Innovative Skating Rink in Seoul Plaza: Light Architecture & Geometric Symbolism

Seoul Plaza's Innovative Skating Rink

Seoul Plaza, located in front of the city hall, is a place where citizens can enjoy winter sports such as skating and curling from Christmas through February the following year. For the past four years, the skating rink has been used in the same design until it was redesigned and opened last year (2018) through a public architect proposal competition. The new skating rink offers a “new structural alternative” that can be installed and recycled in a short time, making it a unique addition to the plaza.

Light Architecture – A New Structural Method

The new skating rink in Seoul Plaza is a light architecture that uses light and transparent non-structural materials, which could not be used in permanent structures. The skating rink consists of a double air-membrane structure that is made up of transparent laminated urethane and opaque laminated urethane, which is flame retarded. The air membrane structure is designed to shorten the construction and dismantlement period due to the limited use time of Seoul Plaza and to reuse next time. The tensile material that supports the two membranes consists of about 40,000 ropes with a 30-centimeter gap.

Geometric Symbolism and Sense of Place

The suggested skating rink in Seoul Plaza consists of a combination of equilateral triangles and circles. The triangular deck is located where citizens freely move in and out, and it is a place where the plaza, the Seoul Library, and the skating rink relate to each other. The circular-shaped auxiliary facility that reinterprets the past in a modern way reflects the skating rink anywhere, providing citizens with new spatial and temporal experiences. The skating rink is open to everyone during the winter, regardless of age, race, gender, or political identity, making it a lighthouse in the square for the duration of the rink.

Overall, the new skating rink in Seoul Plaza is a unique and innovative addition to the plaza's winter sports activities. The light architecture and new structural method make it easy to install and recycle, while the geometric symbolism and sense of place make it a welcoming and inclusive space for all citizens.

Read also about the Revitalizing an Old Townhouse: Restaurant La Montée, Bishop Street project