Ur-Ban-Chan Farmers Market & Atrium - Sejong, Korea

Los Angeles, CA

Ur-Ban-Chan Farmers Market creates a new urban kitchen marketplace, pedestrian atrium and rooftop terrace through a series of interlocking multi-story courtyards organized along a semi interior, pedestrian street. This urban promenade supports pedestrian activity with distinctive spaces, restaurant seating areas, and multi-level pass throughs. Interconnected walkways and bridges loop around and overlook the courtyards to facilitate convenient circulation from ground level to a third story bridge and up to a roof terrace. BIPV colored glass (with integral photovoltaics) and gardens comprise the entire roof form, bringing in dynamic lighting for the the spaces below.

A lightweight clear ETFE covering of a central atrium creates a public winter garden space near the park to extend it into the atrium. Marketplace visitors have both urban atrium access and street frontage access which creates a cross-circulation adding to the dynamic urban place. Lifted from the street and wrapped with black ceramic fritted glass panels, the iconic corner tower is carved out by the primary entrance to the atrium. The tower is distinctive within Sejong and serves as a way to find the market. Roof health clubs, bars, terraces, and exterior lounge areas connect both to the tower and the urban atrium spaces. The south end of the atrium opens to the public park, which becomes an impromptu outdoor amphitheater.

Rethinking the Future – Architecture, Construction & Design Award, First Place Award