Container Architecture from Germany in Kangnam

The architecture of ‘Platoon Kunsthalle’, a design composed of standardized, olive-green shipping containers, complemented by large industrial rolling shutters, emphasizes the characteristics of an experimental workshop for subculture and art. The spaces are designed with programmatic diversity; the hall offers a mobile and flexible skin to shelter young culture, the exhibitions, installations and events consistently fill the spaces with ever-changing contents. The programmatic diversification of almost exclusively sub-cultural content rotates as fast and spontaneously as the people who occupy it.

You enter the building through the double-storey multifunctional event area on the ground level.  Stacked and directly connected to the main entry are the showcases, where artists exhibit their works on a monthly basis, a drink / snack bar is joined tangentially with this space. Via steel staircases, on the second floor, you reach the library on “design and art “as well as the design studios. Passing by the Think Tank (conference room) on the third floor, you arrive to the building’s roof garden. The Outdoor Bar offers a fine view onto the surrounding neighborhood.

Regarding function and objective, the Platoon Kunsthalle is an institution of new character in Korea. The German word ‘Kunsthalle’ translates literally into Art Hall. This term doesn’t quite match the original concept. In contrary to a museum, a Kunsthalle does not have its own art collection. The idea of a Kunsthalle originally dates back to the year 1962, when a group of artists, including Gerhard Richter, John Cage, Wolf Vostell, Joseph Beuys and Charlotte Moorman, developed a concept for the young creative generation to be able to present their works alongside the established art scene. Among these artist from Duesseldorf was the Korean artist Namjun Paik, who was residing in Germany at that time. Today he would have been able to see such an art hall realized in his home country, Korea.

The ‘author’ of the project: A team of the German architects firm ‘Graft’ and the local construction supervisor ‘Urbantainer’, were supported by the CEOs of the Kunsthalle, Tom Bueschemann and Christoph Frank, who actively contributed their experiences gained while establishing the first Platoon project in Berlin.

Visit: www.kunsthalle.com

Pictures @ PLATOON

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