YEOUINARU FERRY TERMINAL

The new marina proposal for Yeouinaru Ferry Terminal, positioned above the undulating Han River in Seoul, presents as a smart typological transformation: the simple bar is transformed into a ‘knotted’ three-dimensional platform promoting efficiency in the maintenance and structural safety of vessels. Continuously connected wooden surfaces in a 3D folded configuration give the impression of the user’s intimacy and connectivity to the water – blurring the line between outside waterfront and the internal terminal facilities. Bar-type marinas are efficient for the maintenance and structural safety of vessels and have a structure that supports the stable anchoring and management of ships of various sizes and functions. Hence, considering the efficiency and safety in the design, the bar-type platform is positioned to sit on an east-west orientation to conform with the flow velocity of the river. The pier’s orientation and shape not only alleviates the risk of debris build-up - that frequently occurs during monsoon season by allowing it to flow naturally down river - but also it protects the smaller anchored vessels by maintaining a constant wave height around the ferry terminal. This east-west configuration also allows the ferry terminal to cope with the future expansion of the marina. The building footprint and overall structure are designed to be flexibly extendable based on the orientation. Neighbouring a river park, the international business district and one of Korea’s houses of parliament, Yeouinaru Ferry Terminal is to be an important hub of tourism and civic public space. Thus, the proposal can be seen as both an opportunity to design innovative architecture, as well as an opportunity to rethink the latent potential of public spaces adjacent to water; questioning how can the urban stream be embraced in architectural projects as an agent of civic commonality and everyday urban experiences? In order to bring outdoor activity and urban leisure facilities to the Marina in Han River, a pier deck overlooking the spectacular river scenery is utilised to host small concerts and events, allowing visitors to program the unique water-friendly, urban public space as they wish. Unlike the existing concrete shore, the new floating terminal and pier deck create various functions and connections to the water with a sense of intimacy throughout; the ‘platform’, where users can wait for ferries, the ‘promenade’ is the perfect place to take a walk and chat under the summer night sky with family and friends, and finally the ‘amphitheater’, here the ferry terminal becomes the main cultural attraction. Aside from the functional aspects, the pier deck and whole building form are aesthetically integrated to create wooden strips over the water. This shapes an iconic view of Han River that can be seen from a multitude of angles and vantage points such as Han River Park, Mapo Bridge Park and Wonhyo Bridge, meaning the terminal architecture becomes a trope for a new way of showcasing the theatrical scenery of Seoul.

Project: Yeouinaru Ferry Terminal

Size: 8.000 m²

Location: Seoul, South Korea

Client: Seoul Metropolitan City

Collaborators: Urban Agency, Schlaich Bergermann & Partner, CK Marina

Type: Open Competition

Status: Settle

Team: Heechan Park, Henning Stüben, Jiyoon Gu, Minjae Kwon, Jakub Śmiech