The former Hyundai Hotel Gyeongpodae, now known as Seamarq Hotel, has been completely renovated - entrusting its design to Richard Meier & Partners Architects studio – for the 2018 Winter Olympics that will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The hotel, made up of two main buildings connected by a bridge, is located on a hill surrounded by the sea on the east, by the Lake Gyeongpo on the south and by the Taebaek Mountains (1,567 s.l.m) on the west.
The Tower of the Hotel is anchored to the summit plateau of the hill while the Banquet Hall is set on the lower plateau. The two constructions are linked with a bridge, creating an adaptation-integration effect of the architectural structure to the landscape.
The trapezoidal shape of the Tower rises to 11 floors on the basis of 4 and includes 150 rooms. The top of the tower offers a presidential suite with a large terrace and an inner garden offering an open view in all directions. A wide platform, positioned on the roof of the Banquet Hall, the 4-storey building on which stands the Tower, houses an infinity pool with panoramic sea views and a large space with big windows, conceived as a venue for events. The terrace floorings overlooking the swimming pool have been realized with the Outdoor Ipé Decking series produced by Listone Giordano.
At ground level in the sea-front position, there is the café, with an external platform encircling like an extension of the lobby. The restaurant is below the lobby, immersed in the surrounding landscape it enjoys the wonderful view of the sea and the beach.
On the lower level, there is the wellness center, with a view on the surrounding vegetation that embraces the natural shape of the hill.
All these areas open to the public - the bar, the gym and the different rooms - were paved with refined wood flooring by Listone Giordano - Indoor Classic and Atelier Collection series.
The building's shape is perceived differently depending on the different points of view while the floating balconies, the articulated plans, the different heights and the cantilevered canopy of the last floor of the Tower, housing the Presidential Suite, are distinctive elements of a design careful to the placement of the construction in the space and with respect to natural light.
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