Gwangju's Representative Library Design Competition Winning Entry 'Selected'

Works of Serbian Architect 'Branislav Redic'

Gwangju Representative Library Winning Design Perspective. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 12th that the work by Branislav Redic (ARCVS, Serbia) from Serbia was selected as the winning entry in the international design competition for the Gwangju Representative Library, which is being promoted on the site of the former Sangmu Incineration Plant in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju.

The second prize went to Lee Jong-cheol (Wonwoo Architects Co., Ltd., Korea), and the third prize was awarded to works by Park Sung-gi (Studio Sunggi Park, USA) and Jenyu Kao (JWJZ Architecture, China).

The jury, composed of seven internationally renowned members including Chairperson Min Hyun-sik, Thomas Vonier (President of the International Union of Architects), and Robert Greenwood (Chief Architect of Snohetta), evaluated 134 domestic and international entries submitted to the international design competition over two days starting from the 10th.

The winning design proposed the bridge connecting the underground space and the incineration plant as a multifunctional space, and especially the interior space of the upper bridge was evaluated as creating a new perspective for the library.

Furthermore, the winning design is expected to become an excellent architectural work that aligns with the project’s purpose of transforming the former incineration plant site, a disliked facility, into an educational and cultural facility for citizens by creating a strong connection and integrated image with existing facilities from an urban spatial perspective of Gwangju, forming a distinct horizontal landmark that harmonizes with the surrounding space and environment.

The winning entry is granted the priority negotiation right for the basic and detailed design work worth approximately 1.73 billion KRW, and the second and third prize works will receive compensation according to relevant regulations.

Award certificates will be given to nine outstanding works, and a total of 13 works, including the winning and other prize-winning entries, will be exhibited at the Citizen’s Forest on the first floor of City Hall from the 17th to the 21st.

The city plans to complete the basic and detailed designs by the end of this year to open the Gwangju Representative Library to citizens as soon as possible, start construction in the first half of next year, and open the library upon completion in 2022.

Oh Gyu-hwan, head of the city’s General Construction Headquarters, said, “We will do our best in design and construction so that the winning work can become a cultural asset representing the artistic city of Gwangju.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.