Dongdaemun District to Build 700-Seat Venue on Former Community Center Site

Multi-purpose complex featuring a cultural center, book cafe and public health branch office
SGHS design selected; completion targeted for 2030

Dongdaemun District in Seoul, led by District Mayor Choi Dong-min, will build a multi-purpose cultural complex with a performance venue seating about 700 on the former community center site in Jangan-dong. The district said Tuesday that it had selected the winning design and would accelerate the project, which is targeted for completion in 2030.

Winning design competition entry. Provided by Dongdaemun-gu.

A total of 75 entries from Korea and abroad were submitted to the design competition for the cultural facility under the Community Center Site Redevelopment Project. The district held its final review on Oct. 7 and selected the design by SGHS Design Company Architects as the winner.

The project aims to carry on the cultural and leisure functions of the community center, which was demolished in 2023, while reflecting changes in residents' lifestyles and cultural needs. It will bring performance, cultural activities, health care and relaxation together in one place.

The new community center will have two basement levels and five above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 11,647 square meters. Centered around a performance venue with about 700 seats, it will also house a cultural center, interactive spaces, a book cafe and a public health branch office.

The design was praised for bringing together the functions of multiple cultural facilities through a clear and creative spatial layout. The district said the proposal would make better use of the space by providing a performance venue suitable for a range of uses, including exhibitions as well as performances.

The district plans to refine the design by considering the functions of each facility and visitor routes, while also examining how the building's outdoor spaces relate to the surrounding environment to improve convenience. Since the site is next to Jungnangcheon Stream and Jangpyeong Neighborhood Park, the district intends to make the most of its location and create an open community cultural space where residents can drop in and spend time. Based on the winning design, the district will proceed with basic and detailed design work and complete the necessary procedures, targeting completion in 2030.

“The community center has long been part of residents' daily lives, so it should be reborn as the cultural space they have been waiting for,” District Mayor Choi Dong-min said. “We will make it Dongdaemun District's flagship cultural space, where everyone can enjoy high-quality performances and culture close to home and spend time naturally as part of their everyday lives.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.