Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Announces Domestic and International Design Competition for 'Lee Geon-hee Donation Hall'

Exhibition Facility to Serve as Both Museum and Art Gallery
Targeted to Open in 2028 with 2 Basement and 3 Above-Ground Floors

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Korea Institute of Architects, is holding a competition for domestic and international design proposals for the 'Lee Kun-hee Donation Hall Construction Project (tentative name)'.

The Lee Kun-hee Donation Hall is a storage and exhibition facility designed to systematically manage 21,693 cultural heritage items and 1,488 artworks donated to the nation by the family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee. It will house historical artifacts, antiques, and modern and contemporary artworks, serving both as a museum and an art gallery.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to create a complex cultural space symbolizing and embodying Korea's unique philosophy and values. The project will be developed on a 9,787㎡ site in Songhyeon-dong, Jongno-gu (Songhyeon Cultural Park), secured through a land exchange with the Seoul Metropolitan Government in January last year, with a budget of 107.8 billion KRW. The building will have a total floor area of 25,696㎡, consisting of two basement levels and three above-ground floors. The scheduled opening is in 2028.

Registration for design proposal participation will be held from the 12th to the 26th. Architects from both domestic and international backgrounds are eligible to participate. However, those holding only foreign architectural licenses must collaborate with a domestic architect. Registered participants must submit their design proposals by October 10. After technical and artistic evaluations, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will announce the final winning design on October 24.