Over 50,000 sq. meters near Gwangnaru Station; 200 billion won in city funds; groundbreaking set for 2028

A rendering of the hybrid timber-frame multipurpose arena to be built near Gwangnaru Station in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A rendering of the hybrid timber-frame multipurpose arena to be built near Gwangnaru Station in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

Seoul will build the country's first hybrid timber-frame multipurpose arena along the Han River, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday. The project will draw approximately 200 billion won (about $132 million) in city funds, with groundbreaking scheduled for April 2028 and completion targeted for 2031.

The city unveiled the results of a design competition for the Gwangjang-dong Complex Sports Facility Construction Project, which aims to transform a sports facility site along the Han River in Gwangjin-gu's Gwangjang-dong into a citizen-centered open space combining a professional venue capable of hosting international competitions with community sports and cultural functions.

The project site — a 50,916-square-meter sports facility plot in Gwangjang-dong — has been designated as an urban planning facility since 1978. Development attempts have continued for years, as the area needed expanded professional sports infrastructure and comprehensive redevelopment of the entire site. The project cleared a central investment review last July, allowing it to move forward in earnest.

The complex will include international-standard professional sports facilities alongside auxiliary sports amenities, public services and parking. The professional sports venue will be built to international standards capable of hosting competitions and athlete training in combat sports such as taekwondo, judo and wrestling. On days without competitions, the facility will be open for community sports activities and cultural performances.

Given the site's location near the entry point into Seoul and its proximity to Gwangnaru Station, the city plans to build a public parking facility alongside the professional sports venue — addressing both the need for expanded sports infrastructure and the area's chronic parking shortage.

The city said the competition was conducted under demanding conditions: establishing credibility as a professional international arena for combat sports such as taekwondo, judo and wrestling; overcoming difficult site constraints posed by subway infrastructure and waste-processing facilities below ground; and achieving cohesive integration with existing on-site facilities. The jury evaluated 28 entries through in-depth deliberation, using three core criteria — the overall quality of the complex sports facility, its public value, and the strategy for integrating it with existing on-site facilities and surrounding open spaces — before selecting the winning design.

The winning entry was submitted jointly by Kawa General Architecture Office (Choi Sam-young), Architecture Office Isaek (Park Chan-gyu) and DDI Architecture Office (Lee Jeong-seop). The design proposes an innovative circular arena using a hybrid timber frame structure — a rare approach for large-scale buildings in South Korea.

The arena's refined architectural form is designed to settle gracefully into the Han River cityscape, creating a fluid and stable landmark presence.

The design also achieves an exceptional floor plan that satisfies both the functional demands of a professional arena and openness to the public. Optimized athlete circulation routes enhance the facility's operational efficiency, while a flexible spatial layout ensures residents can easily enjoy community sports and cultural activities on a daily basis.

The jury praised the winning design for demonstrating both the structural ambition of introducing timber construction and a high level of aesthetic refinement, noting that the detailed technical proposals supported the feasibility of realizing the design on site. Jurors gave high marks to the entry's technical credibility and its forward-looking vision.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will fund the entire project from city coffers, with a total budget of 199.9 billion won comprising 9.3 billion won in design costs and 156.7 billion won in construction costs. Following an 18-month design phase, the city aims to break ground in April 2028 and complete the facility by August 2031.

"The Gwangjang-dong complex sports facility will go beyond being a simple sports venue — it will be developed as an open public space where citizens' everyday lives and international sports culture coexist," said Kim Yong-hak, the Seoul Metropolitan Government's director of future space planning.


ikson@heraldcorp.com