richard meier finalizes seamarq hotel in south korea

richard meier finalizes luxury seamarq hotel in gangneung, south korea
image © roland halbe

richard meier & partners has completed gangneung’s seamarq hotel in south korea. the project is composed of two main buildings and supporting facilities nestled into a hill of dense pine trees overlooking the east sea, gyeongpo lake, and the taebaek mountains. the hotel has been rebuilt as part of the region’s revitalization ahead of the 2018 winter olympics in the neighboring city of pyeongchang.

the scheme is nestled into a hill of dense pine trees
image © roland halbe

the hotel tower is positioned at the plateau’s summit, with the banquet hall located at a lower level connected by a bridge. the approach to the hotel flows around the natural terrain through the forest, offering glimpses and framed views of the gyeongpo canal. the sequence of outdoor spaces and landscape design concepts were developed in collaboration with james corner field operations.

the fifth floor includes a generous outdoor deck and promontory with an infinity-edge pool
image © roland halbe

the angular form of the building contrasts against the landscape, with a changing silhouette that is perceived differently from various vantage points. floating balconies and articulated planes are expressed in a bright color palette that enables the building to transform throughout the day depending on lighting conditions. the fifth floor includes a generous outdoor deck and promontory with an infinity-edge pool and panoramic views of the ocean. besides offering a place for social events, the sun deck acts as a transitional space between the low rise base and the high rise tower.

a covered entrance welcomes arriving guests
image © roland halbe

a covered entrance opens to a grand lobby lounge and bar facing the sea. the restaurant is nestled into the existing landscape one level below the lobby and enjoys immediate vistas of both the sea and the beachfront. the spa is a further storey below, with spaces open to the dense vegetation and landscape. a presidential suite is found at the tower’s summit with a generous terrace and courtyard garden with open views in all directions.

the ground floor includes a grand lobby lounge and bar facing the sea
image © roland halbe

‘our primary goal for the seamarq hotel has been to create a strong sense of place by enhancing and transforming the existing site in a dramatic way,’ explained richard meier. ‘many of the cues for the design came from the site — its light, its landscape, its topography. perhaps the most important initial decision was to work with the configuration of the land and to design the hotel complex in relation to the existing topography. the design of the hotel is concerned with the making of space, not abstract space, not scale-less space, but space whose order and definition is related to light, to human scale and to the culture of architecture.’

hotel rooms present sweeping coastal views
image © roland halbe