Seoul's only high-rise water purification tower to be transformed into artwork

An aerial view of \

Seoul's only high-rise water purification tower will be transformed into a work of art by world-renowned installation artist Ned Kahn. Kahn, who designed the iconic Rain Oculus at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, is an environmental installation artist whose work centers on nature.

The water purification tower which was built in 1986 at Garak Market in Seoul is a 32-meter-high underground water storage tank that used to supply water to the market. The tower has been shut down since 2004 due to changes in water supply. It has been preserved after changing the design once in 2009.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on March 12, "Rain Veil," the final selection of last year's public art competition SAM (Seoul Aqua Monument)-932, which was held under the theme of "The Vitality of Water," will be installed in the water purification tower, which has been closed for 20 years, and will be unveiled to the public in June.

It is a curtain-like structure that is installed with wires intertwined around the water purification tower, and scaly sculptures are hung between them, which flutter in the wind. On the outer wall of the water tower inside the curtain, six colored resin art blocks will be attached to represent the sea level that has risen over the past 30 years to signal the seriousness of sea level rise. The blocks will be applied by the citizens themselves after receiving applications from 100 people.

"It's an installation art that people have never seen before in the city," said an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “Citizens can enjoy a colorful sight depending on the direction and eye level they look at it."

Along with the opening of the exhibition in June, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has also decided to open a "Garak Art Market" in collaboration with nearby markets. The event will be run by 20 teams consisting of artists and designers and the vendors who sell related items at Garak Market. The 20 participating groups will be recruited next month.

The Songpa district office is also planning to create a park near the water purification tower and utilize the space as an art shelter in the area with greenery. Choi In-kyu, a design policy officer at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, "The water purification tower project at Garak Market is a monumental project that incorporates public art into the city's long-standing heritage and returns it to citizens as an art spot. Starting with Garak Market, we will create an opportunity for people to enjoy public art in various places throughout the city.”

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.