"S" CORPORATION PARK DEVELOPMENT

H Architecture envisions “Pristine Forest” for a new park at “S” Corporate Digital City in Suwon, South Korea. The given site is located at the heart of “S” Corporate Digital City, surrounded by three major research buildings serving IT and mobile technology department with more than 27,000 commuters every day. The park covering about 37,000m2 surface areas will provide a place of interaction and renewal for researchers and engineers working at the City. In addition to the park, the project also required 16,000 m2 employee amenity facilities to be incorporated to house club rooms, fitness center and other small retail areas for the employees. With the concept of “Pristine Forest,” H Architecture’s proposal blurs the boundaries between the above ground park and underground facilities with an oversized sunken courtyard filled with a forested knoll that integrates the two in a continuous landscape.

For one of the world leading IT companies such as “S” Corporate, it is critical to provide an integrated environment that can foster creativity and collaboration. However, gradual expansion of “S” Corporate Digital City that took over twenty years has left the site in a fragmented condition where the interaction is limited to each building and block. The proposed park aims to consolidate the dispersed buildings and provide linkage to a larger network throughout the City by creating a series of pathways and plazas that are inter-connected to surrounding buildings. The park therefore comprises of three main layers- above ground plaza, the lush green hill, and the great lawn below. The plaza hosts various outdoor programs such as café, sensory garden, or meeting court to encourage active social interaction among the employees. The green hill provides rather contemplative walking experience with fluid form of w¬alkways that weaves into the forest. At the bottom of the hill, a generously sized lawn that slides down into interiors of the employee amenity facilities brings much needed openness and abundant daylights through south-facing facades.

Serving as the main artery that connects the sunken courtyard and other employee amenity programs, the concourse is formed by extending the existing underground facilities from the surrounding buildings. Placed along the concourse to provide open and lively environment, fitness facilities and club rooms that support dance or music activity are enclosed in transparent glass. Also, to stimulate spontaneous interactions between workers to socialize and discuss new ideas, “Social Lounges” filled with daylights are planted amidst these club rooms. To give momentary retreat from work, the “Healing Lounge” that overlooks the green lawn is set apart from the bustling concourse. Creating a dynamic contrast between the surrounding hi-tech building clusters and the serene green hill, the new park will awaken the inherent creativity and the pristine sensibility of the employees.