The government of the Republic of Korea has engaged in various policy measures to develop the city of Gwangju, located in the south-western part of the country, as Asia's cultural hub and to promote the nation's cultural industry. Towards this end, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) of Korea is undertaking the construction of a vast Asian Culture Complex, in Gwangju.

This complex, aimed at the promotion of Asian values in arts and culture, was the subject of an international project competition, launched by the Executive Agency for Culture Cities of the MCT.

This single stage international project competition, open to architects world-wide, organised in conformity with the UNESCO-UIA regulations received the approval of the International Union of Architects - UIA

The city of Gwangju, a model of Asian democracy, seeks to contribute to the construction of a culture based on equality and human rights for all the people of Asia.

To symbolise these aspirations, projects for the complex were required to fulfil the following objectives:
• Provide facilities to strengthen the role of Gwangju as Asia's cultural centre making of it the strategic basis for contemporary arts and culture;
• Develop a space for the revival of cultural values by combining arts and industry;
• Create a venue for research and education for culture and creativity;
• Create a cultural powerhouse for the development of Asian culture and the promotion of regional economy.

To be constructed on an urban site of 118 170 m2, the vast complex will have a built surface of 142 718 m2 will include an Asian Culture Centre, an Asian Artplex, a Children's Museum, an Asian Culture Network Centre, as well as the necessary facilities, circulation and the associated exterior spaces.

At its meeting in Gwangju, from 28 to 30 November 2005, the jury examined 124 projects. Under the presidency of Jong Soung Kimm, architect (R. of Korea) the jury was composed of Yung Ho Chang, architect (P.R. of China), Guyon Chung, architect (R. of Korea), Richard England, architect (Malta) representing the UIA, Jun Sung Kim, architect (of Korea), Marcos Novak, architect(Venezuela/USA), Kenneth Yeang, architect (Malaysia). Rainer Verbizh, architect (Austria), UIA deputy member and Kwang Myung Kim (R. of Korea), expert advisor, Jaepil Choi (R. of Korea) Professional Advisor.

FIRST PRIZE

 Kyu Sung Woo Architects, Inc
(USA)

SECOND PRIZES

 IROJE Architects & Planners
(Republic of Korea)
 METROGRAMMA
(Italy)

THIRD PRIZES

 KAWA Design Group & Yun Sik Park
(Republic of Korea)
 Heerim Architects and Planners
(Republic of Korea)
 Andrés Perea Ortega s.l.
(Spain)
 Unsangdong Architects Cooperation
(Republic of Korea)

MENTIONS

 Moa-Archi (Republic of Korea)
 iArc Architects, LLP. (Republic of Korea)
 Kunwon Architects & Planners (Republic of Korea)
 Rechter architects LTD (Israel)
 Single Speed Design (USA)
 STARBURSTAR (Japan)
 Shady Albert (Egypt)
 Michael Yen & Associates in collaboration with Deepblue Computer Graphics Co Ltd. (Hong Kong)
 lw-architects, Dietmar Leyk (Germany)
 Heneghan Peng architects (Ireland)

The Executive Agency for Culture Cities
1-57 Sejong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea 110-050
Tél. : +82.2 37 04 34 30

www.acc2005.org
pa@acc2005.org