All major metropolises face the problem of how to deal with overly cluttered downtown cores. The Affect and Sensation project recognizes the value in establishing a subterranean network of passages but it works to establish them as more desirable settings with deeper connections to the realm above.
Alejandro Vicente Soto is not satisfied with the stark concrete tunnels of international cities like Seoul, nor with the attempts to dress them up. His concept involves carving out underpasses as more organic cavities and caverns and writing an entirely new and sensationally stimulating architectural language of urban burrowing.
Working to incorporate Korea's Bang culture, Affect and Sensation attempts to merge street level and ground-floor interiors with its sculptural passageways to draw light, activity and an overall heightened experience down amidst the soil.
Invigorated Urban Tunnels
Affect and Sensation Brings Stimulating Life to Subterranean Seoul
Trend Themes
1. Organic Urban Tunnels - Creating subterranean passageways with a more organic design and aesthetic to enhance the urban experience.
2. Sensational Architecture - Developing a new architectural language for underground spaces that stimulates the senses and creates a heightened experience.
3. Integration of Street and Underground Spaces - Blurring the boundaries between street level and underground interiors to bring light, activity, and connectivity to subterranean environments.
Industry Implications
1. Urban Design and Architecture - Opportunities to innovate in the design and construction of urban tunnels and underground spaces, focusing on organic and sensory-driven approaches.
2. Lighting and Atmosphere Technologies - Developing innovative lighting and atmospheric systems to create immersive and stimulating experiences in subterranean environments.
3. Entertainment and Tourism - Utilizing the concept of organic urban tunnels to create unique entertainment and tourism experiences, attracting visitors to explore underground realms.