SSP’s Blooming Clouds Reframes an Abandoned Gangnam Site
Located near Samseong Station in Seoul’s Gangnam district, Blooming Clouds by SSP – Studio Sunggi Park introduces a spatial and visual intervention within a dense urban fabric. The project repurposes an abandoned site to create a public-facing space defined by modular scaffolding, lightweight forms, and flexible programming. Designed as an ‘urban oasis,’ the structure offers a visual and experiential contrast to its surrounding high-rise office towers.
The design centers on a balloon-nested scaffolding system. Typically used in construction for support and safety, here, system scaffolding is repurposed as a structural and architectural framework. Painted white to distinguish it from its industrial origins, the scaffolding holds floating balloons of varied scales. This contrast between rigid geometry and soft organic forms generates a dynamic facade and spatial experience, referencing cloud formations and water imagery. The existing structure on site, partially built and abandoned since 1995, underwent extensive rehabilitation. Retaining only select structural components, the project introduced new steel beams and carbon fiber reinforcements to restore stability. This strategic reuse of existing infrastructure supports the sustainable goals of the project, minimizing demolition while adapting to new use scenarios.
all images by Yoon Joonhwan
Blooming Clouds Reimagines Vacant Lot into Playful Urban Hub
Public spaces are organized around a ground-level courtyard and outdoor plaza, designed for flexibility and user interaction. Movable modular furniture supports various programming needs, from informal gatherings to larger public events. A mirrored wall at the plaza’s edge visually expands the site and reflects sky and greenery, reinforcing the project’s conceptual link to nature. For the interior layout, the design team at SSP – Studio Sunggi Park prioritizes circulation and transparency. A double-height staircase connects the ground floor to the basement, where green walls and stone art walls serve as both visual anchors and environmental devices. The basement level showroom is finished in white gypsum board for spatial clarity, with additional options considered for alternate material palettes, including blackened steel and marble furniture to accommodate future reconfigurations.
On the ground floor, the reception and lounge areas are arranged for intuitive movement between indoor and outdoor zones. Furnishings are modular and easily reconfigured, emphasizing adaptability and open-ended use. The roof features a large sculptural element, an oversized version of Bithumb’s logo, emerging from the balloon cloud forms. While highlighting corporate identity, it also contributes to the surreal visual language of the building and acts as a landmark within the urban skyline. The landscape strategy is based on three concepts, Yard, Meadow, and Landform, integrated with the brand’s identity and expressed through natural topographies. Outdoor furniture such as benches and tables encourages community use of the space, while the mirror wall enhances user interaction and perceptual play.
a modular cloudscape rises in Gangnam’s dense urban grid
balloon-nested scaffolding redefines conventional building frameworks
scaffolding becomes a permanent architectural feature
the project transforms an abandoned site into a public-facing space
reinforced structure reclaims a long-abandoned framework
reception and lounge areas flow intuitively from inside to outside
the rooftop sculpture anchors Bithumb’s identity within the clouds
the double-height stairwell connects interior levels with spatial clarity
the public hub is designed for flexible, open interaction
modular furniture allows for ever-changing public use scenarios
cloud-like balloons introduce a sense of lightness and impermanence
system scaffolding is repurposed as both structure and sculpture
white-painted steel supports soft, floating forms above the plaza
contrasts of hard and soft forms animate the building’s facade
project info:
name: Blooming Clouds
architect: SSP – Studio Sunggi Park | @studiosunggipark
design team: Sunwook Jo, Myoungsoo Ha, Taerim Kim, Myoungjin Kim, Yoonha Shin
client: Bithumb (Corporate)
collaborators: CPA(Structure) Gunwoo (MEP)
location: Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea
photographer: Yoon Joonhwan | @yoon_joonhwan
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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