Thomas Heatherwick Appointed as General Director of the 5th Seoul Urban Architecture Biennale

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has appointed British architect Thomas Heatherwick as the artistic director of the 5th Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, scheduled to be held next year. Thomas Heatherwick is a world-renowned architect and the founder of Heatherwick Studio, which designed New York's 'Vessel' and Google's new headquarters in Silicon Valley.

Seoul City announced on the 3rd that British architect Thomas Heatherwick has been appointed as the artistic director of the 5th Seoul Urban Architecture Biennale. Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Artistic Director Heatherwick are taking a commemorative photo. (Photo by Seoul City)

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On the 3rd, Seoul City announced that it signed an agreement with Heatherwick and will begin full-scale work, including selecting the theme for the 5th Seoul Biennale.

The Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism has been held every two years (in odd-numbered years) since its inception in 2017. The city plans to make next year's event a platform to share future visions of Seoul and the world, seek innovative solutions to common urban problems, and provide new perspectives.

Thomas Heatherwick, selected as the artistic director, has engaged in creative work across architecture, urban planning, interior design, and product design. Born in London, UK, he studied 3D design at Manchester Polytechnic and earned a master's degree from the Royal College of Art. In 1994, he founded Heatherwick Studio in London. Heatherwick Studio is an organization of 200 creators and makers, gaining significant attention for carrying out globally innovative projects in architecture, urban planning, and design collaboration.

Currently, Heatherwick Studio is actively working on more than 30 projects of various scales in 10 countries, including Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 5 with KPF, Google's London headquarters in collaboration with Bjarke Ingels Group, and a new performing arts center in Hainan, China. Recently, they also completed projects such as Azabudai Hills in Tokyo, Japan, Google's new headquarters in Mountain View, USA, and Little Island in New York.

Thomas Heatherwick ⓒHeatherwick Studio

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Heatherwick, who explores how to move the human heart, has received the London Design Medal and the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Recently, he participated in the design competition for the 'Hangang Nodeul Global Art Island' and proposed 'Soundscape,' which symbolizes the image of Korean mountains with curves, and was selected as the final winning design.

Heatherwick said, "My area of interest is public design, especially changing the appearance and function of cities. I explore and investigate how people are affected by the exterior of buildings and what emotions millions of people in a city feel."

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, "Through Thomas Heatherwick, a world-class designer and architect, the 5th Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism will become an opportunity to get closer to citizens," adding, "I look forward to seeing what kind of leap the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, which will unfold with Heatherwick as the artistic director communicating across various fields with innovative yet practical models, will achieve."

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