arch out loud reveals sublime + poetic designs for underground bathhouse competition

set within the tense korean demilitarized zone, the proposals re-examine the capacity of architecture to unite across a border.

Kyle Zook edited by lea zeitoun April 1, 2017 2 min

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom

research platform arch out loud has released the winners of its ‘DMZ underground bathhouse’ international open-ideas competition. with nearly 300 proposals and over 900 participants from all over the world, the final project have been selected and presented below.

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom
winner: crossing parallel(s) by STUDIO M.R.D.O & studio LaM

arch out loud challenged designers to explore the possibility of creating an underground bath house within the korean demilitarized zone, which responds to the surrounding geopolitical conditions. new forms of non-military architecture could occupy the border and begin to ease the existing tension. the role tourism can play in opening relations across begs the question: how does architecture position itself in the middle of this condition of tension?

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom
winner: crossing parallel(s) by STUDIO M.R.D.O. & studio LaM

hence, the designers of the DMZ underground bathhouse competition confronted the very sensitive zone with a variety of poetic and sublime approaches. programs and narratives were common components in proposals for releasing tension through the bathhouse. the full results of the competiiton can be viewed here.

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom
winner: crossing parallel(s) by STUDIO M.R.D.O. & studio LaM

the winners of this competition will be featured in the second issue of the out loud journal, ‘BORDERS + ARCHITECTURE’. the journal features results and analysis of arch out loud’s competitions along with an interdisciplinary collection of essays surrounding the journal topics.

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom
winner: crossing parallel(s) by STUDIO M.R.D.O. & studio LaM

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom
runner up: cross by xiaoyu wang & yutian wang

arch out loud dmz competition results designboom
runner up: this lofty sky by vuk filipic & anna murynka

arch out loud dmz competition results designboom
runner up: hypotenuse thermae by zhe peng

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runner up: hypotenuse thermae by zhe peng

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom
runner up: water whirl by SPECTACLE: bureau for architecture and urbanism

arch out loud dmz underground bathhouse competition results designboom
runner up: primitive field by yeonmoon kim & choonghyo lee

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.