project : New city hall
type : International Two Stage Open Competition
location : Cheongju - South Korea
client : Municipality of Cheongju
program : office
area : 55,500m²
result : -
The project envisions an honest landmark and proposes a dynamic and inviting building complex meant to take an important place in the heart of the Cheongju community. The central location and the generous size of the plot, contribute in placing the new city hall under the spotlight. Framed with a dense green landscape and further supported by ease of access, the new city hall is a symbol of high standards, where efficiency meets quality space.
The proposed building complex strikes a balance in horizontal & vertical development of such an extended building program. It creates a proportional volume which satisfies both the integration to the urban scale but also the functional efficiency of a public building of this nature, which combines civic & office functions. The separation of the city hall & city council volumes allows for the creation of a new city hall building complex of middle height, which includes the main building, now as an anchor point for the whole composition.
The proposal succeeds in a unified architectural entity by seamlessly integrating the old into the new and offering a recognizable architectural entity in the overall city scale. This gesture shapes a building complex of a unique character, which, further supported by a permeable design approach towards the citizens, gives an open & inviting public building back to the city. In a humble and rational, yet dynamic and very public material language, it is a constant reminder of the power of the collective in an architectural, functional & symbolic manner.