Repurposed architecture is a trend that is slowly gaining traction around the globe. Take “Temp’L”, for instance. Designed by the team at South Korea-based Shinslab Architecture, this stunning structure is fashioned from the rusty hull of an old, now-defunct ship. Currently on display at Seoul’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), the tree-filled pavilion was one of the winning designs in this year’s Seoul Young Architects Program (YAP).
According to Shin Hyung-chul, one of the architects at the firm, the name “Temp’L” is actually a combination of the words ‘temporary’ and ‘temple’. The temporary installation, the team states, will serve as a communal meditation space, with its verdant interior offering people respite from Seoul’s incredibly hot summers. Speaking about the project, the company’s spokesperson said:
Temp’L is designed from recycled steel parts from an old ship. It shows not only a beauty of structure, but it has also a recycling purpose…It provokes thought about beauty in our time, coming from a recent past.
The project, as pointed out by the architects, is a fusion of two concepts: recycling and the “Ready-made” style of art, which entails the integration of everyday objects in the context of museums. Inspired by the early 20th century artworks of the avant-garde movement, the designers transfigured a discarded cargo ship into a spectacular ecological as well as relaxing space for the entire community. To construct the pavilion, the team carved a section from the vessel’s corroded hull, placing it upside-down.
The building’s beautifully rough, rusty exterior stands in stark contrast to the soft, white interiors. The installation also features a spiral staircase and a balcony, apart from the greenery that turns the pavilion into a restful, urban space. According to the developers, the aim of the project is to get visitors to reflect on recycling and reusing. The team explained:
[The goal is] not only to develop a new method of construction in architecture by recycling materials, but for those who will see to create emotion… Any great cultural vestiges can lose their function. In the same way, a material can also lose its original value over time. The fact that the destiny of cultural relics is to be dismantled, should make us reflect upon what we need to consider for future generations.
The Temp’L installation will be on display at MMCA Seoul till October 3, 2016. To know more about the project, head over to Shinslab’s official website.
Via: Architect Magazine