Skip to main content

Themed Design: Thinkwell Designs Winning Concept for Seoul Grand Park International Competition

News

Integrated concept combines entertainment, education and Korean cultural heritage

Taking the creative lead amongst a group of masterplanners, architects, landscape developers, engineers and economists, Thinkwell conceived and developed winning entry Gaia: The Living World, an integrated entertainment and educational experience to revitalize Seoul Grand Park and showcase Korean heritage.  The team won the international competition for concept design and feasibility study amidst 20 other competitors from around the world.

Seoul Grand Park, a 560-hectare destination with an existing zoo and an amusement park, has provided an important entertainment and recreational function to the community for 30 years. The Seoul Metropolitan Government sponsored the competition to draw ideas to improve the public space for citizens and better position the site as a regional and international tourist destination.

Spearheaded by AECOM, the winning team also included Ga-One Landscape Design, Group Han Associates and Bernard Harrison & Friends.  Together the group conducted an economic analysis and created a design that combines the amusement park, zoo and botanical garden with new attractions into a one-of-a-kind destination.

The new design combines conventionally separate sectors into one comprehensive experience.  Thinkwell crafted every element of guest experience including more than 50 rides and attractions such as a simulated flight encounter.  Picture soaring across South Korea’s wetlands among a flock of wild geese or swooping out of the sky at 90 kilometers.  Another attraction invites brave visitors to walk across a treetop canopy amidst animals of the forest.  In addition to all of this, lush botanical gardens and traditional animal exhibits make up the entertaining and informative environment that is Gaia: The Living World.

About Thinkwell

From blank page to opening day, Thinkwell specializes in the creation of unique content-driven guest experiences, master plans, story-driven attractions, brand experiences, exhibits and environments.  Thinkwell’s clientele is made up of museums, theme parks, Fortune 500 companies and destination resorts, including Harrah’s Entertainment, Dubai Properties, Nike, House of Blues, Thor Equities, Paramount Parks, Universal Studios and others. For more information, please visit www.thinkwellgroup.com.

See also:
Themed Design: Thinkwell Makes Inc. 5000 List for the Third Year in a Row
Themed Design: Thinkwell Names Danny Hartigan as Director of Creative

Themed Entertainment leader Thinkwell Opens Office in United Arab Emirates

Share this

Companies featured in this post

More from this author

Related content

Your web browser is out of date. Update your browser for more security, speed and the best experience on this site.

Find out how to update