Arcloud | Carve

About Arcloud

Arcloud  is Located at the foot of Geomdansan Mountain in eastern Seoul, Arcloud is a large mixed-use development with a wide range of amenities. The development includes apartments, single-family housing, and commercial, leisure, and educational facilities. Arcloud Shopping Mall, despite its name, transcends the traditional concept of a shopping mall. Instead, it represents a modern hybrid city, a comprehensive urban space combining retail, residential, public facilities, underground parking, rooftop gardens, and central plazas, with the ultimate goal of establishing itself as the warm heart of this emerging residential area in Seoul.

The mall has a unique collection of city ideas, with public parks on the streets. These bridges are well connected to the adjacent greenway, providing unobstructed pedestrian access from all directions. This design element is an exciting and unexpected contrast in a predominantly car-driven city, creating a refreshing, pedestrian-friendly environment.

Arcloud’s Developing Concept

The development of Arcloud has three main centers which play an essential role in the layout of the space. These veins are carefully placed hills decorated with Korean native perennials, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and tall pines, creating a sharp rolling terrain. These hills function as the overall look and layout of the environment, providing two distinct outdoor parties: one designed for sport and another dedicated to hosting events. Ensures clear lines of sight products and access to nearby shopping centers. In addition, the development incorporates a third main public space, the atrium, which provides an inviting and public gathering space.

We envisioned the outbuildings in the mall as vibrant public gathering spaces for the Arcloud community, in line with the project objectives. Our goal was to create beautiful and welcoming spaces that celebrated everyday life’s dynamic and ever-changing rhythms. The neighborhood park “Arcloud” is surrounded by gently rolling hills, providing a versatile, open event space. It has a central platform that can be used for center stage that can be used for performances, while the bowl-shaped surround can be turned into a winter sprinkler by filling it with water. This simple but flying system enhances the space’s many functions, ensuring it can be enjoyed in various ways throughout the year.

Arcloud can be described as an integrated and interesting piece of art that interacts harmoniously with its surroundings. Hanging over the public lands and occasionally interacting with it, we imagined a small, cloud-like structure. This transparent and ethereal sculpture combines the main functional elements of the public space, acting as a connector. It adds visual appeal and invites visitors to interact with it actively, creating a playful interactive experience. Additionally, skylights are added to the sculpture, ensuring its dramatic presence continues to attract and engage visitors day and night.

The building acts as a visual link between different floors and can be accessed from other floors in the mall. It takes a sculptural form, with an organic and fluid exterior contrasting a geometric and structured interior. This sculpture acts as a link, connecting people, places, and activities within the space. Emerging from the atrium provides easy access to the two main exterior podiums behind the glass walls. By connecting these spaces, the design maintains a cohesive identity while facilitating a sense of unity and continuity throughout the space.

The concept of a “floating” sculpture in the mall’s public space was inspired by the customers’ various requirements and uses. These requests included various features, including a stage and shade system. The goal was to create a distinctive feature to recognize the storefront. This concept allowed for the integration of different functionalities in a visually attractive craft, meeting the client’s diverse needs in an integrated and innovative way.

Seol objects to metaphor in one text or phrase. It encapsulates a complex, multifaceted metropolis that combines tradition with futuristic elements. Nevertheless, a densely populated city manages to hold green spaces. Locals enjoy cars as much as outdoor activities. The topography of Seoul varies from the flat land along the Han River to the hills and mountains that cover the city.

We carefully considered these aspects and observations when developing the play and local theaters. Our goal was to provide a public space, a vibrant community space, to celebrate everyday life in Seoul. In doing so, we aimed to capture the richness, depth, and vitality reflected in the city itself.

Project Info:

Architects: Carve
Area: 7200 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Hyeji Na (Daewoo), KakaoTalk
Lead Architect: Elger Blitz
City: Seoul
Country: South Korea