[Yongsan's Future] Ever-changing Nodeulseom Island, Starting a New Leap as a 'Seoul Landmark'

Seoul City Plans 'Global Art Island' for Nodeulseom
Originating from Bridge Support Structures of Japanese Colonial Era
Transitioned from Private Land to Seoul's Central Artificial Island
Competition Among 7 Domestic and International Architects, Final Work Selected

Editor's NoteYongsan, which once held the 'forbidden land,' is entering a new turning point. The Yongsan US military base, which had been off-limits to the public for over a century, has transformed into Yongsan Park, a space for all citizens. With the presidential office relocation, it has established itself as the new center of power in South Korea, and development plans have also begun in earnest. There are ongoing demands to expand its role as a hub of history and culture. Despite being a prime piece of land connecting Namsan and the Han River in the heart of Seoul, it still harbors underdeveloped residential areas. Experts say that to enhance Seoul's global competitiveness as a city where power, business, history, and culture coexist, attention must be paid to Yongsan. In that sense, Yongsan represents both the present and future of Korean cities.

Nodul Island, an artificial island located in the center of Seoul, has undergone years of development and transformation. Since 2019, Nodul Island has been used as a complex cultural space, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon declared his intention to transform it into a 'global art island.' The Seoul Metropolitan Government held an international design competition to make Nodul Island a symbolic space like New York’s 'Vessel' or Seville, Spain’s 'Metropol Parasol.'

From Support Facility to Cultural Space

The past appearance of Nodeul Island.
[Photo by Seoul History Compilation Institute]

Nodul Island was originally an artificial island created as a support facility for a bridge when the Japanese Government-General of Korea began constructing the Hangang Pedestrian Bridge in 1916. At that time, it was called 'Jungjido.' After liberation, until the mid-1960s, the area was used as a recreational spot for citizens. Starting in 1968, with the Hangang development plan, the sand from Nodul Island was used to build the Gangbyeonbuk-ro highway. As the sandbanks were damaged, river water flowed in, turning the area into an island and cutting off foot traffic. The following year, Hangang Development Tourism (Jinheung Enterprise) purchased Nodul Island and expanded its size, creating the current Nodul Island. This privately owned land was acquired by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2005 to build an opera house.

Mayor Oh, who was implementing the 'Hangang Renaissance Project,' began actively promoting the development of Nodul Island. However, the opera house construction faced controversies over huge costs and ecological preservation. The development plan, which repeatedly stalled, was ultimately abandoned when Mayor Oh resigned in 2011. His successor, Mayor Park Won-soon, started a public competition in 2015, and the 'Nodul Island Complex Cultural Space' was completed in 2019.

After returning to office, Mayor Oh announced in February last year the 'Urban and Architectural Design Innovation Plan,' stating that Nodul Island would be the first site to apply a pilot project for design innovation in the public sector. The plan aims to relax regulations and provide administrative support to build distinctive and symbolic innovative architecture in Seoul.

Can Nodul Island Become the 'Second Vessel'?

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is attending the 'Nodeulseom International Place Naming Design Competition Public Review' held at the Seoul City Hall Multipurpose Hall on the morning of the 28th, listening to the progress of the Nodeulseom project with the judges. (From left in the photo: Professor Choi Moon-kyu, Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University; Tom Main, Founder of Morphosis and Founding Principal of SCI-ARC; Mayor Oh; Ben van Berkel, Founding Principal of UNStudio) [Photo by Seoul City]

In April last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government established a business plan based on design ideas submitted by domestic and international architects and launched an international design competition in February this year.

A total of seven architects participated in the international invited design competition for Nodul Island. Among the overseas architects were Thomas Heatherwick (UK), well known for New York’s landmark 'Vessel'; J?rgen Mayer (Germany), who designed Spain’s Metropol Parasol; and BIG (Denmark), the architect of the Amager Bakke incineration plant. Domestic participants included Kang Ye-rin + SoA, who designed 'Four Round Table'; Kim Chan-jung, who designed the Ulleungdo Cosmos Resort; Na Eun-jung and Yoo So-rae, designers of the Gwangjin Supnaru Observatory 'Growing Forest'; and Shin Seung-soo, who built the Gusan-dong Library Village.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will select the final design, conduct a citizen preference survey, and then begin the design work. The above-ground section will be developed as a complex cultural space utilizing existing buildings, while the base will be designed as a three-dimensional waterfront viewing area that adapts to changes in the Han River’s water level. The waterfront area will also include a floating art stage for cultural performances. By December next year, media facilities and the floating art stage will be completed, and by 2027, mid- to long-term projects such as aerial walkways and observatories will be finished. The total construction cost is 255.7 billion KRW, and the construction period is expected to take 18 months from the start date.