Opera is no longer a passive playground for patricians in Busan, South Korea. The city’s new opera hall is an interactive, democratic space that engages the wider public’s ambitions and interests. Occupying reclaimed land on the city’s waterfront, the Busan Opera House will convert the historically industrial zone into a communal area.
“The integration of public space is an issue of public ownership,” explained Robert Greenwood, partner and managing director at Snøhetta. “The opera then belongs to the citizens and is an integral part of the wider urban context—not just an elitist object placed arbitrarily in the city.”
The facility’s form is further derived from the community’s context and culture. Its layout evokes the union of Kun (heaven), Kon (earth), and Karn (water)—which are of great historical and philosophical importance to Korean culture. The classical trigrams of these elements inform the structure with a slight bending of bars and surfaces to touch and meet each other in subtle ways.
The opera hall is conceived as a musical instrument itself, precisely designed for the acoustics and auditory experience to resonate with audiences. The auditorium will be constructed from solid panels of cherry wood; the foyer wraps around both sides of the building, leaving the ground level free and open. “By integrating the project into the public realm, citizens are invited to experience every level of the space,” added Greenwood.
On-ramps lead to a second public space on the rooftop. The design team’s intent is to give back to the public some of the space occupied by the building’s footprint. Intended for parties, picnics, and a number of other leisurely activities, Greenwood said it’s a space “to be enjoyed alone or together.”
Spanning between the planes and enveloping the complex’s functions is the soft, flowing facade, which offers protection and transparency, and links all levels in fluid, unbroken movement.
