Turning an old power plant into a cultural and artistic center

Two decommissioned units of the Seoul Power Plant in the west of the capital will be converted into a cultural and arts center by 2025, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.

According to Yonhap, the Seoul Power Plant, formerly known as the Danginri Power Plant, is a site with a rich history as it began operations in 1930.

By 2019, amid concerns about deteriorating infrastructure and urban aesthetics, the plant was moved underground. The above-ground space has been requisitioned as a park, while Units 4 and 5, although no longer in operation, remain as “reminders of the plant’s industrial heritage.”

Yonhap quoted information from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea, confirming that Unit 4 will be converted to serve cultural and artistic activities with two galleries, a theater and a workplace for artists.

Unit 5 will be converted into an educational space with “minimal changes to the original structure” to help visitors get a sense of the plant’s history. Meanwhile, the roofs of Units 4 and 5 will be renovated into a spacious plaza for enjoying the Han River landscape.

Confirming that the idea was inspired by the Tate Modern art museum located on the banks of the Thames River in London (UK), which was renovated from a decommissioned power plant, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism affirmed that the new art and culture center is not just a Korean version of Tate Modern. "Danginri Center is a unique and modern multi-purpose cultural space that allows for the creation, performance and exhibition of all types of art. It will become a new attractive destination for art and culture," Minister Park Bo-gyoon announced.

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