HH Resort Hotel and Spa, el primer proyecto de Richard Meier en Corea del Sur

Ubicado en una colina con majestuosos pinos centenario frente al Mar del Este de Corea, el nueva HH Resort Hotel and Spa se define a través de dos edificios principales y varias instalaciones de apoyo distribuidas en el sitio. El hotel estará anclado en la meseta de la cumbre, una ubicación de importancia histórica en la costa. El salón de banquetes ha sido diseñado como un edificio independiente que flota sobre pilotes en la playa a nivel del mar, conectado por un puente con la plaza de llegada al Hotel.

Una serie de espacios sensibles se han diseñado en procesión, vistos desde la carretera principal a lo largo del Gyeongpo Lake. El camino ascendente hasta el hotel serpentea por el terreno escarpado y el pinar con vistas al canal y al hotel. El edificio principal tendrá un basamento de cuatro pisos, con ángulos y formas sutiles que siguen las suaves curvas de la topografía, yuxtapuesto con una torre trapezoidal de 15 pisos. Casi todas las habitaciones tendrán vistas abiertas al mar, y algunas con vistas al lago Gyeongpo y a las montañas distantes Taebaek al oeste.

La geometría quebradiza de la torre contrasta con las formas suaves de la colina y con los pisos inferiores del restaurante y del spa. Balcones flotantes, planos articulados, fachadas expresivas con texturas y toldos son elementos característicos del diseño. Las formas que se expresan en tonos de blanco, compuestas por paneles prefabricados de hormigón, paneles de metal y muro cortina de vidrio y piedra de la zona, se transformarán durante el día con la interacción de la luz, las sombras y los reflejos de los colores profundos de su entorno.

Los interiores, igualmente distintivos, se han diseñado para proporcionar un confort controlado con una paleta suave y elegantes materiales, concebidos para mejorar la experiencia de espacios abiertos y ventilados.

Original Text in English

The new resort complex at Gangneung, South Korea, will be a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel composed of elegant guestrooms, a world class restaurant and a wellness spa that reflect the local culture, a Banquet Hall, Amphitheater, Exhibition Hall, Beach House and various amenities.

Nestled in a dense hill with majestic old pine trees and facing the East Sea of Korea, the new HH Resort Hotel and Spa will be defined by two main buildings and several supporting facilities placed throughout the site. The hotel will be anchored to the summit plateau of this historically significant and one of the most prominent properties along the coastline. The Banquet Hall has been designed as a separate building that floats on pilotis on the lower beach and promenade level, connected by a bridge to the Arrival Plaza of the Hotel.

A series of sensitively incised spaces have been designed in procession from the approach on the main road along Gyeongpo Lake. The ascending road to the hotel meanders through the steep terrain and the pine forest with glimpses and framed views of the Gyeongpo Canal and the Hotel. The main building will have a four-story base with subtle angles and shapes that follow the gentle curves of the topography, juxtaposed with a 15-story trapezoidal tower. Almost all the guestrooms will have open views of the sea, and a few with views of Gyeongpo Lake and the distant Taebaek Mountains to the west.

Dukho Yeon, Design Partner-in-charge, comments: “It is quite a challenge to design a good building on a site so spectacular and powerful by itself. The design here embodies our firm’s constant belief in the dialogue and striking the delicate balance of architecture and landscape, while creating a building both graceful and sensuous, and taking every advantage of the inherent culture and heritage of the site.”

The crisp geometry of the tower will contrast with the soft shapes of the hill and lower floors of the restaurant and spa. Floating balconies, articulated planes, expressive and textured facades and canopies are characteristic elements of the design, intensifying the very different shapes and silhouettes of the building from various vantage points. The forms that are expressed in shades of white and composed of pre-cast concrete panel, metal panel, glass curtain wall, and local stone will transform throughout the day in the interplay of light, shadow and the reflections of the deep seasonal colors of its surroundings.

The equally distinctive interiors have been designed to provide comfort controlled with a soft, light, and elegant palette of materials, carefully crafted to enhance the experience of open, airy, and engaging spaces.

Richard Meier comments: “I am extremely pleased and excited to see our first project in Korea take shape, a project with a very special program in a wonderful setting. The design is a result of our close collaboration with the Owner, a dedicated team of local architects and consultants, James Corner Field Operations, and L’Observatoire International. I believe the design will complement the beautiful Korean landscape rich in history and tradition and offer striking architecture and interiors for an unparalleled world class resort.”