[News Figures] Hangang 'Dungdung' Swimming Pool Idea... Architect 'Bjarke Ingels'

Seoul City Plans Floating Swimming Pool on Han River
Inspired by Denmark's 'Harbor Bath'
Eco-Friendly Architect Bjarke Ingels' Work

Recently, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced plans to create the 'Hangang Art Pier' at the site of the Turtle Ship Ferry Terminal in Ichon Hangang Park. The term 'Art Pier' combines 'Art,' referring to cultural and artistic facilities, and 'Pier,' meaning a ship mooring facility.

The city plans to build a 900-square-meter floating swimming pool in Ichon Park, inspired by the 'Harbor Bath,' a floating swimming pool on Brygge Island in Copenhagen, Denmark. Additionally, water sports facilities such as water skiing and paddleboarding will be installed, along with cultural and artistic performance venues and a sunset observatory, allowing citizens to enjoy the Hangang River throughout all four seasons.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is currently visiting Europe, visited the Harbor Bath on the 19th (local time) and said, "I thought it would be great if citizens could enjoy the Hangang riverside as much as possible and be able to swim during the less cold seasons." He added, "Like Copenhagen, it is time for us to create facilities that allow people to naturally enjoy the Hangang, rather than traditional swimming pools."

The Harbor Bath is Denmark's first floating public swimming pool, established in 2003 with direct funding from the Copenhagen city government. It attracts an average of 300,000 visitors annually and is a popular tourist destination. The facility was designed by architect Bjarke Ingels, who remodeled the harbor area near Brygge Island.

Architect Bjarke Ingels. Photo by Wikipedia

Bjarke Ingels was born in 1974 in Copenhagen, Denmark, to an engineer father and a dentist mother. His original dream was to become a cartoonist. He entered the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1993 to improve his drawing skills, which were related to his cartooning ability. However, as he studied, his interest gradually shifted toward architecture, leading him to pursue architectural studies.

In 1998, he began gaining practical experience as an intern at OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture), an architectural design firm based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. His first project with OMA was winning the design competition for the Seattle Public Library, where he contributed significantly to the library's construction over the course of a year.

In 2001, he left the company and co-founded the architectural firm PLOT with Belgian colleague Julien De Smedt, whom he had worked with at OMA. From 2001 to 2006, PLOT undertook a variety of innovative design projects. His buildings became popular with the public due to their environmentally friendly features. As a result, in 2004, he received the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale for a planned music hall in Norway. In 2005, he won the Forum Aid Award, which annually recognizes the best architectural design, interior, and product design in Northern Europe.

The eco-friendly housing complex '8-Tallet' located on Amager near Copenhagen, Denmark, was designed by the world-renowned architect Bjarke Ingels.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Recognized in the industry, Bjarke Ingels operated PLOT and in 2005 established the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), well known as 'BIG.' PLOT was only active until 2006. BIG's first project was a residential complex called 'Mountain,' which had been in progress since the PLOT days. Over the next two years, BIG worked on various projects, including Amager Bakke, a ski slope combined with a power plant; the National Gallery of Greenland in Nuuk; and a mixed-use building in Manhattan.

In 2010, BIG opened an office in New York, and in May 2016, it participated in the development of the Hyperloop alongside Hyperloop One, Deutsche Bahn, and SYSTRA. Currently, BIG has branches in Copenhagen, New York, and Beijing, employing over 200 architects and designers, and undertakes numerous projects annually.