The “New Korean Garden,” designed by SKNYPL Studio in Moscow, is a distinctive meeting and event space situated on a rooftop in Seoul, South Korea. This innovative garden is composed of pebble-like inflatable bags.
This design offers a modern interpretation of traditional Korean gardens, which are typically characterized by simplicity, natural elements, and carefully arranged rocks, a key feature in Korean garden aesthetics.
The project was submitted to an international competition inviting designers to transform the rooftop of the Seoul City and Architecture Hall into a public space that offers a unique leisure experience.
According to SKNYPL Studio, the “New Korean Garden” embodies and reinterprets Korean garden traditions, giving them new meaning. Its colors and shapes evoke natural elements such as plants, stones, and hills, which form the basis of the Korean Garden Harmony Theory.
This rooftop garden serves as a versatile social space where people can gather, enjoy relaxed conversations, read, admire the cityscape from above, bring children, and provide an urban playground in the heart of the city.
SKNYPL Studio prioritized creating a multifunctional area with distinctive features that can be easily reconfigured and constructed using sustainable materials.
To achieve this, the design incorporates numerous inflatable components of varying sizes made from ETFE, a recyclable fluorine-based plastic, which are then inflated with air.
This allows the space to transform easily, functioning as a maze-like meeting area during the day and converting into a more organized venue for events at night.
SKNYPL Studio explains, “Gardens and spaces are no longer inert; they have become living entities that evolve over time.”
Additionally, the design features a series of smaller “flying elements” — inflatable helium-filled devices tethered to the site.
These floating installations are designed to offer views of inflatable landscapes across Seoul and also act as billboards for exhibitions and events happening in the city.
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