H Architecture envisions “Pristine Forest” for a new park at Samsung Electronics Digital City (SEDC) in Suwon, South Korea.
The park covering about 37,000m2 surface area will serve as a place for interaction and renewal for researchers and engineers working at SEDC. Called as the Samsung Electronics R&D hub, the site is located at the heart of SEDC with more than 27,000 commuters every day.
The project also required 16,000 m2 employee amenity facilities to be incorporated along the park development to house club rooms, fitness center and other small retail shops.
With the concept of “Pristine Forest,” H Architecture’s proposal blurs the boundaries between the park and the underground facilities with an oversized sunken courtyard filled with a forested knoll that will awaken the inherent creativity and the pristine sensibility of the SEDC employees.
The park comprises of three main layers- the above ground plaza, the lush green hill, and the great lawn below. The plaza hosts various outdoor programs such as café, sensory garden, or meeting courts to encourage active social interaction.
The green hill provides rather contemplative walking experience with fluid form of walkways that weaves into the forest. At the bottom of the hill, the great lawn that slides down into the employee amenity facilities brings much needed openness and abundant daylighting into the interiors.
Connecting the sunken courtyard and different amenity programs is the main concourse that extends the existing underground facilities.
Serving as the main artery, the concourse will guide employees from club rooms that are enclosed in transparent glass walls to a healing lounge that faces the serene forest, providing opportunities to engage in cultural activities or moments of retreat from work.
