architectures david tajchman: busan opera house

‘operascope’ by architectures david tajchman in busan, south korea all images courtesy architectures david tajchman

paris-based architect david tajchman has sent us images of ‘operascope’, an entry into the open international design competition for ‘busan opera house’, a new cultural complex in the north port area of busan, south korea. drawing from the form and structure of coral, the design features a skin constructed of several thousands of pyrex tubes which optically and kinetically distort the elements of the surrounding seascape.

interior view of atrium space

conceived as a monolithic form, the design proposal adopts a curved and organic form that stands between the city and the seaside. the glass tubes that make up the envelope is oriented in a direction that aligns itself with the metropolis and the water; sunset and sunrise, enabling the opera house to serve as an observation machine. a spiral-shaped foyer that winds itself up throughout the building offers a 360 degree perspective of the surrounding site. partially transparent to the inner activities of the opera house, the structural glass facade will create a kaleidoscopic effect on the sea and the city. the architecture also serves as a giant musical instrument, playing with the sea sounds that enter the skin to highlight the natural context of the site.

seaside restaurant located above the multi purpose theatre

aiming to preserve the circulatory fluidity of the park, the ground level of the opera house is directly connected to the island with several public spaces that remain open to the visitors. an event plaza and an outdoor theatre is integrated into the surrounding landscape, keeping the area porous to the activities of the ground. the interior make-up stands at 50 percent void and 50 percent closed rooms, allowing the inhabitants to perceive the space as a whole.

2000-seat main opera house

view of lobby

coral scheme

ground coverage diagram

park fluidity diagram

accessibility diagram

orientation of glass tubes

spiral foyer

360 degree views

voids / solids diagram – the opera house and the multipurpose theatre are the two main components of the design

section through multi-purpose theatre

section through opera house

project info:

client: busan metropolitan city principle use: opera house area: 60,000 m2 height: 80 m architect: david tajchman architectural assistant: luke izri