Gwangju-Si, South Korea
A new museum and educational facility for young children rooted in holistic and interactive learning. The Children’s Dream Center (CDC) and the Children’s Eco Museum (CEM) sit at the heart of the Ssangnyeong Park development in Gwangju-Si, Korea and are composed of two distinct programs designed within the envelope of one building. As an educational facility for children ages 5-12, these two entities are interconnected and complementary, sharing amenities, a generous common entrance plaza, various outdoor activity spaces.
The Children’s Dream & Eco Museum: A Holistic Learning Haven in Ssangnyeong Park won an 2025 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
The building sits on a generous plinth with a ramp marking the entrance to the Children’s Dream Center. The Children’s Eco Museum entrance is at ground level alongside the public entry plaza overlooking Ssangnyeong Park. The form of the building is undulating, soft and playful, creating shared dramatic interior spaces such as tunnels, staircases, ramps, skylights, gardens, and terraces animated with natural light. A sloped roof garden and deck at the top provides additional recreational space with open views of the city and the landscape beyond.
These museums provide immersive and interactive environments, with programmatic components including spaces to learn about cooking, hydroponic irrigation systems, agriculture, compost, geothermal, astronomy, solar, wind/ aerodynamic systems, as well as a pool and a vegetable garden. The building structure and mechanical systems will be energy efficient, site sensitive and sustainable, using local resources as much as possible. The proposed envelope cladding consists of white aluminum panels, some perforated and some solid, in combination with clear glass to allow for views to the landscape and to maximize natural daylight.
Here, children will be encouraged to think for themselves, be more aware of their environment and learn to care for it. By educating children through play, these museums aim to celebrate their natural curiosity, creativity and compassion. The design strives to create a magical and memorable experience for children, who will go on to shape and empower their communities as they grow.
Architects: Meier Partners
Lead Architects: Dukho Yeon, Guillermo Murcia, and Sharon Oh
Design Team: Hyunggyu Choi, Yuhwa Jeong, Hiuki Lam, and Fayad Shahim
General Contractor: ASIA General Construction
Client: Urban State Company
Images: VIZE
