Art and Culture Complex 'Seoul Municipal Art Archive' Completed... Opening in March Next Year

Organic Connection of Four Spaces... Creation of Cultural Facilities, Exhibition Hall, Multipurpose Hall, Learning Spaces, and Parking Lot

Exhibition and Archive Building Exterior (Building A)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 17th that it has completed the independent art archive facility, ‘Seoul Metropolitan Art Archive,’ in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, and will open it in March next year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Art Archive will collect and preserve important materials and records of contemporary art, and operate exhibitions, learning, and public programs centered on research. It collects and systematically manages art-related books and materials, allowing users to freely access the resources, as well as supporting research activities that exhibit and study related materials.

In particular, Pyeongchang-dong, where small galleries and art museums are densely located and many artists reside, will be developed as a specialized art archive space where citizens can share art cultural resources, enjoy culture, conduct research and development, and engage in learning.

The Seoul Metropolitan Art Archive, a representative specialized art archive space of Seoul City, is a five-story above-ground and one-story underground building with a total floor area of 5,590㎡, consisting of four interconnected spaces. It will be operated as a branch of the Seoul Museum of Art.

The Seoul Metropolitan Art Archive is an art museum for records and art. The four spaces are arranged in a decentralized parallel manner conforming to the terrain and related to each other, designed as a horizontally multi-dimensional art and culture complex space incorporating urban planning concepts that expand as elements forming the city within the connections and relationships of urban spaces.

Additionally, the outdoor space connected to the building and the rooftop garden will serve as a resting place for citizens and an outdoor exhibition space, provided as a village courtyard. Without an entrance gate, it is created as an open park accessible to anyone from anywhere in the village. The long-neglected garage site in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, has been transformed into a space with an organic system linking collection, research, and exhibition based on exhibition, research, and education programs specialized for the art archive, and is expected to establish itself as a center for art records and research.

Kim Seong-bo, Director of the Urban Infrastructure Headquarters of Seoul City, said, “Seoul will rise as a city of culture and arts, and the quality of life of local residents will improve,” adding, “It is expected to become a landmark where citizens can enjoy leisure activities and pleasant cultural experiences.”