Ensamble Studio  has built a prototype for ‘The Cloud’ proposal, a soon-to-be-built 3,800 sqm  museum   o n the outskirts of  Seoul,  with a spectacular scenery dubbed ‘Les Jardins de Médongaule.’ The project was part of the second edition of the  Biennale d’architecture et de paysage  (Bap!) that took place at Versailles from May 14 to July 13, 2022.

Draping and folding over thin rods, the installation represents a fragment of the overall architecture, like the offering of a petal ‘transplanted’ from South Korea to France. This gesture, according to the studio, symbolically connects both cultures through their historical and spiritual appreciation for landscapes and garden design. 

‘The Cloud’ proposal | Les Jardins de Médongaule, South Korea all images © Ensamble Studio

Beyond celebrating a cultural love for the natural world, ‘The Cloud’ prototype by Ensamble Studio (see more  here ) responds to the vision behind  Bap !  2022 . This year’s edition explored the ever-changing relationship between land and cities through nine exhibitions scattered across  ÉNSA Versailles . Specifically, the team participated in the ‘Visible-Invisible’ show curated by  Nicolas Dorval-Bory   and  Guillaume Ramillien ,  focusing on new materials, construction techniques, and languages that explore both the obvious and no-so-obvious dynamics that define architectural matters.

‘The 21st century is the century of global environmental and biological awareness, in which all humans recognize for once that we can and must act together and have a mission to protect the earth. More than ever now, the garden is the representation of our life. With regard to this sensitivity, ‘Les Jardins de Médongaule’ brings together a history of these gardens in a unique natural environment in the outskirts of Seoul,’  write Antón García-Abril and Débora Mesa from Ensamble Studio.

bird’s eye view of the proposal on the outskirts of Seoul

The proposed structure arises as an unearthed topography, levitating above ground to offer a continuous and fluid space underneath it. The exterior skin is envisioned as a mineral and organic layer where a wild ecosystem can flourish, while the underside is a textured geopolymer with imprinted ‘nerves’ circulating across the ceiling and walls. Finally, below the terrain-like roof, a spellbinding and light-filled space will take over — expressing energy and extraordinary material quality.

Through a mix of earth and contemporary technology, ‘The Cloud’ by Ensamble Studio will be molded onto a container resembling the petal of a giant flower. Delicate and translucent in appearance, the final design will also be waterproof and durable.

prototype of ‘The Cloud’ by Ensamble Studio at ÉNSA Versailles 

‘And this mold, the invisible part of the construction process, is later transformed into the different parts of the building; its envelope, walls, and ceilings, evidencing different uses in its material cycle. So now the building and the garden are expressed in unity, responding to the architecture of the earth,’  concludes Ensamble Studio. 

You can check out the overview of the ‘Visible-Invisible exhibition on the Bap! website. 

a ‘veined’ drape folding over thin rods

3D render of the light-filled museum center crowned by a terrain-like ceiling

the installation was part of the ‘Visible-Invisible’ show organized by Bap! 2022 at Versailles

the model evokes a fragment of a petal ‘transplanted’ from Korea to France 

3D render of the interior cenote

location: Les Jardins de Médongaule, Seoul, South Korea

client: Zenitas Investment Co. Ltd (Mr Jaeyon Won)

prototype exhibited at: Bap! 2022  

led by: Antón García-Abril, Débora Mesa Molina

team: Borja Soriano, Alberto García, Fernando González, Mónica Acosta, Nancy El Asmar

structure consultant: Torroja Ingeniería

photography + renderings: Ensamble Studio 

a diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.