The Seoul Metropolitan Government will build Korea’s first large-scale hybrid timber international arena on the Han River waterfront, a 199.9 billion won ($145 million) venue near Gwangnaru Station designed for elite combat sports and year-round public use. That is according to the city government, which on Monday named the winning entry in an international design competition for the Gwangjang-dong Multipurpose Sports Complex.
A joint entry by Gawa Architects & Associates, Iséak Architects and DD Architects won the commission ahead of 27 rival submissions, with a circular arena built around a hybrid timber frame. Such a structure remains a rarity among large-scale public buildings in Korea, where mass timber has been slow to move into civic infrastructure.
The judging panel praised the winning design for balancing public accessibility with professional arena functionality, citing its separation of athlete and spectator circulation and its fit with the surrounding district. The panel reached that view despite complex underground conditions on the site, which lies above a subway line and waste treatment infrastructure.
Designated for urban sports facilities in 1978, the 50,916-square-metre site languished for decades before administrative clearances and central investment reviews were secured in 2025. The master plan will connect the arena with existing local hubs, including the Gwangjin-gu Citizens’ Sports Center, the Seoul Gwangjin Youth Center and the YES24 Live Hall.
Engineered to meet rigorous international regulatory standards, the venue will host premium training camps and global tournaments in combat sports such as taekwondo, judo and wrestling. On non-competition days, it will open to amateur sport, cultural events and public concerts.
Continuous green space will run between the arena and the river at ground level, whilst a public car park below will absorb parking demand around Gwangnaru Station. The design leans on the site’s position as a gateway to Seoul along the Han River, aiming to read as a new urban landmark.
The complex is intended to serve as an open public space where residents’ daily lives coexist with international sport, rather than as a conventional sports venue. That is the stated aim of Kim Yong-hak, the city’s director general for future space planning, who said Seoul would keep delivering public architecture through open, professional design competitions.
The city will finalise the contract with the winning consortium this month, ahead of an 18-month detailed design phase. Construction is scheduled to break ground in April 2028, with the arena due to open in August 2031.
