Dongdaemun-gu to build 700-seat performance hall on former community center site

Dongdaemun-gu in Seoul announced Tuesday that it has selected a winning design for a mixed-use cultural facility featuring a roughly 700-seat professional performance hall to be built on the site of the former Jangan-dong community center.

A total of 75 entries were submitted from domestic and international firms for the design competition. Following a final review Wednesday, the proposal submitted by SGHS Architecture was chosen as the winner.

The project aims to carry on the cultural and leisure functions of the community center, which was demolished in 2023, while expanding performance and cultural facilities the district needs. The new facility is planned as a space where residents can enjoy performances, cultural activities, health management and relaxation all in one place, reflecting changes in residents' lifestyles and cultural demands.

The new building is planned at two below-ground floors and five above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 11,647 square meters. Anchoring the facility will be the roughly 700-seat professional performance hall, complemented by a cultural center, hands-on experience spaces, a book cafe and a community health clinic.

The winning design was praised for integrating the functions of multiple cultural facilities through a clear and creative spatial layout. Judges particularly noted that the proposed performance hall can serve a variety of purposes beyond performances — including exhibitions — raising the overall utility of the space.

The district plans to proceed with basic and detailed design work based on the winning entry and, after completing the necessary procedures, aims to have the facility completed by 2030.

Separately, Dongdaemun-gu is pursuing a transit-oriented development project in the Yongdu station area that would build a mixed-use complex — including residential units and a performance hall — on the site of the Homeplus Dongdaemun branch. The complex, planned at six below-ground floors and 49 above-ground floors, is set to include an approximately 500-seat performance hall and is targeted for completion in 2031.

"We will make this Dongdaemun-gu's signature cultural space — a place where anyone can enjoy high-quality performances and culture nearby and naturally linger as part of their daily lives," District Mayor Choi Dong-min said.