Seoul City breaks ground on Han River island connecting art and nature

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Nodeul Global Art Island on the artificial island in Seoul, Tuesday. Newsis

Seoul on Tuesday broke ground on Nodeul Global Art Island, a striking new landmark at the heart of the Han River, launching a 370 billion won ($260 million) project that aims to transform the island into a world-class center for art and urban leisure by 2028.

Hundreds of residents and dignitaries, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and acclaimed British architect Thomas Heatherwick, attended the groundbreaking ceremony held on the island. The initiative is central part of the city’s Great Han River Project, which aims to revitalize the entire river corridor with new landmarks, the mayor declared.

“If the Hangang River Bus represents the pinnacle of the Han River Renaissance ― a movement transforming the river into a stream of Seoul’s elegance and culture ― the Nodeul Global Art Island will be the final piece completing the grand picture,” Oh said. “It will become a new center of culture and art that changes the daily lives of citizens and elevates Seoul’s urban competitiveness to the next level.”

The mayor said the proposed design is “not just about external beauty, but about creating spaces that touch people’s hearts,” adding that the project embodies that philosophy.

Designed by Heatherwick, it reimagines the once-underused river island as a floating cultural sanctuary where architecture, nature and human creativity intersect, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Once completed, the island will offer spaces for leisure, performances, exhibitions and relaxation for both residents and visitors.

Constructed in 1917 during the Japanese colonial period, the artificial island spent decades in limbo, with some failed redevelopment attempts ranging from an amusement park in the 1970s to a proposed opera house in 2005. In 2019, under Oh’s predecessor Park Won-soon, it was redeveloped as a “music island,” but only limited spaces were open to the public, and it failed to meet expectations for a cultural landmark.

Concept rendering of Nodeul Global Art Island / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

The city government selected Heatherwick’s “Soundscape” design for Nodeul Global Art Island after hosting two rounds of international design competitions and public forums aimed at discovering the island’s full potential.

Heatherwick’s concept, inspired by Korea’s mountainous terrain, envisions a floating garden supported by concrete pillars and linked through elevated pedestrian bridges that provide sweeping views of the Han River and Seoul’s skyline.

One of the key features will be the “Atelier Nodeul” media facade, designed to create a colorful visual experience for people traveling the Hangang River Bus route between Yeouido and Jamwon parks.

Construction is to be carried out in phases, starting with the aerial and ground-level gardens, followed by waterfront developments and ecological restoration. City officials say they plan to preserve parts of the existing cultural complex, including the live venue and performance lawn.