Spaceform, a real-time, virtual meeting and presentation platform, played an integral role in the design process of UNStudio’s state-of-the-art Korean National Football Centre. Now, B1M has unveiled a video about this immersive process.
South Korea is positioning itself as a global football destination – and it is going all in. Located 85km south of Seoul in the city of Cheonan-shi, the Korean National Football Centre is set to be a world-class facility incorporating health, science, technology and education to help foster the next generation of Korean football stars.
UNStudio’s design for the centre, in collaboration with with Amsterdam's Johan Cruijff ArenA, took a holistic approach to football beyond just sport; health, wellness, science, technology and education are all woven throughout the masterplan. The focal point of the design will be its central plaza, which will give sports fans access to public parts of the training centre, and can host multi-functional events throughout the year.
With technology now a key part of sports medicine and elite training, digital tech will also be widely integrated into the facility, providing trainers with the data they need to be able to create cutting-edge, customised training regimes for the teams and players.
This is not the only technology, however, that went into the design. Technology has been crucial to the design process itself.
UNStudio Uses Virtual Workspace in Design for New Korean Football Centre
UNStudio has been using Spaceform, a virtual workspace currently in development by Squint/Opera in collaboration with UNStudio and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), throughout the design phases of the major masterplan for the Korean Football Association (KFA). B1M, an online video channel for construction, has also highlighted the role this new technology played in the design process in a new video they have released.
Among its innovative features, the platform simulates immersive 3D environments in real-time for collaborative reviews and presentations with key stakeholders, and seamlessly connects other visualisation software such as Rhino 3D, Rivet, Sketchup and Unreal to allow easy data sharing. It also allows for visualising digital twin and urban data for better decision-making and design choices, and immerse virtual audiences in architectural designs on any device.
“The most interesting thing is that when you work with physical, built models in architecture, you cannot really go into the model. That is the advantage of the Spaceform platform. You can really go into the model and look around, walk around, and see other people moving,” said UNStudio founder and principal architect Ben van Berkel.
SpaceForm has allowed UNStudio architects to collaborate with the KFA in real-time, across the world without the need to travel. The teams have been easily able to immerse themselves in their virtual 3D work environment, imagine a virtual workshop space where site images, maps, data and 3D models for the project have been uploaded, viewed and manipulated in collaboration.
“The data-driven design tool enabled seamless collaboration with the KFA team in real-time. The 3D work environment proved to be a very efficient virtual workspace that not only saved us the burden of long distance travel, but also helped us to break down language barriers, because the platform is very intuitive and visually focused. This platform enables an inclusive design process, where all stakeholders have a voice. SpaceForm helped us to enhance team communication and bridge client interaction from abroad. The interactive work sessions unlocked great opportunities in the design of the stadium.”
Find out more about the design here.
Explore the SpaceForm website here.