Seoul lights spiral way to urban regeneration in Asia

The spiral ramp leading to the rooftop car park of the former Seoul Railway Station now flashes with vivid colours of various fluorescent installations. At the hollow centre of the ramp stands a giant, blue sculpture resembling a rotating galaxy.

Dubbed “Docking Seoul”, the once-abandoned architecture right in the centre of the capital has been turned into a unique cultural space with immersive art experiences.

The ramp closed in 2004 when Seoul’s new railway station, built to accommodate KTX bullet trains, opened.

Last year, the Seoul government finally decided to give the abandoned structure a new lease of life.

For the renovation project, the city partnered with local artists and Hanwha Engineering & Construction.

As visitors walk up or down the spiral ramp, they are led into five different sections with a total of seven eye-catching installations.

The first two sections near the entrance feature two circular digital installations shaped like spaceship windows. Created by artist Yang Jeong-wok and dubbed “Moving Daily Life”, the portals reveal images of building or factory interiors that change or move when viewed from different angles.

Visitors who wander to the ground floor are confronted by a 5.2-metre-long blue vortex created by local artist Chung So-young. Named “Deep Surface”, its spiral shape suggests a galaxy’s birth while large rings above conjure up the image of a halo.

Walk to the top floor and you encounter a glowing metal artwork called “Net of Life”, created by Kim Ju-hyeon. Iron pipes are stacked together, illuminated by yellow light. The artwork reflects the links between individuals and society, as if intertwined in a huge net, the artist explains.

“Docking Seoul” opened to the public on October 18. The name was inspired by its old function as a channel for traffic to Seoul Station, which serves as a gateway to the capital.

“The building’s old industrial interior design is well preserved, but with the addition of modern artworks and lighting. It creates a unique atmosphere,” said Cho Eun-ji, a 32-year-old office worker who visited the place on a recent Wednesday.

Visitors can find the entrance to Docking Seoul at the end of Seoullo 7017, an overpass-turned-sky garden. The ramp is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-8pm. Admission is free.

The Korea Herald

Asia News Network