| About Graft |
| About Platoon |
Platoon Kunsthalle Seoul
| Floor plans / Drawings |
| Construction Process |
| Project | Platoon Kunsthalle Seoul |
| Architect | GRAFT, Urbantainer |
| Containers | 28 |
| Area | 415 sqm |
| Location | Seoul, South Korea |
| Year | 2009 |
Description by architects
PLATOON KUNSTHALLE opened its doors on 11th april 2009. PLATOON KUNSTHALLE is set up in seoul as a space for subculture in Asia. its programmatic orientation towards cultural movements beneath the radar creates a dynamic space where new ideas are born and presented.
The platoon Europe headquarters in berlin was established in 2000. it runs diverse culture and communication projects in cooperation with an international community of 3,500 creatives from all different professions.
PLATOON KUNSTHALLE is not about entertainment. The program will provide a communication platform for anybody interested in subcultural creative fields like street art, graphic design, fashion, video art, programming, music, club culture, political activism etc.
PLATOON KUNSTHALLE is built of 28 iso cargo containers. As icons of a flexible architecture in a globalized culture, the stacked containers form a unique construction that can be rebuilt anywhere else any time.
As PLATOON KUNSTHALLE is located in the upscale cheongdam area the confrontation of subculture with the close-by design houses, commercial galleries and luxury brand stores creates a tension and interaction between the two worlds.
PLATOON KUNSTHALLE provides showcases of underground artists, studio residencies and a fine selection of cutting-edge stage performances to introduce the energetic potential of subculture in Korea and Asia.
Subculture at PLATOON KUNSTHALLE is presented in different formats like exhibitions, movie nights, concerts and multimedia performances, workshops, discussion panels and special events. the four scholarship programs give young upcoming artists from Korea and abroad the opportunity to develop creative projects at the PLATOON KUNSTHALLE. the four showcases present every month striking works from the subculture and streetart field including leading artists of the international urban art scene.
NOTE: Graft assisted Platoon in the architectural development of the Kunsthalle, which is based on the signature container modules as developed by Platoon for their first container setup in Berlin. The optimized arrangement of the containers in Seoul was developed in brainstorming sessions between Platoon and Graft and developed and illustrated by Graft.
The interior design finishes and furniture are developed by Platoon and Baik Jiwon.
Floor plans / Drawings
Construction Process
Platoon Kunsthalle Berlin
| Floor plans / Drawings |
| Project | Platoon Kunsthalle Berlin |
| Architect | Platoon Cultural Development |
| Containers | 33 |
| Area | 435 sqm |
| Location | Berlin, Germany |
| Year | 2012 |
Description by architects
Platoon Kunsthalle opened its doors on 19th july 2012. platoon kunsthalle is set up in berlin as a space for subculture in europe and the global creative network of platoon. its programmatic orientation towards cultural movements beneath the radar creates a dynamic space where new ideas are born and presented.
Platoon cultural development was established in 2000 in berlin. it runs diverse culture and communication projects in cooperation with an international community of 6,500 creatives from all different professions. the sister-venue platoon kunsthalle seoul / south korea opened in 2009 and functions as the asian headquarters of platoon. Platoon Kunsthalle is not about entertainment. the program provides a communication platform for anybody interested in subcultural creative fields like street art, graphic design, fashion, video art, programming, music, club culture, political activism etc.
Platoon Kunsthalle is built of 33 iso cargo containers. as icons of a flexible architecture in a globalized culture, the stacked containers form a unique construction that can be rebuilt anywhere else any time. As platoon Kunsthalle is located in berlin/mitte as the confrontation of subculture with the close-by design houses, commercial galleries and brand stores creates a tension and interaction between the two worlds.
Platoon Kunsthalle provides showcases of underground artists, studio residencies and a fine selection of cutting-edge stage performances to introduce the energetic potential of subculture.
Subculture at platoon Kunsthalle is presented in different formats like exhibitions, movie nights, concerts and multimedia performances, workshops, discussion panels and special events. the scholarship program gives young upcoming artists the opportunity to develop creative projects at the platoon Kunsthalle. the 3 showcases present every month striking works from the subculture and streetart field including leading artists of the international urban art scene.
Floor plans / Drawings
Pop Kudamm
| Project | POP KUDAMM |
| Architect | GRAFT |
| Containers | 35 |
| Project Partners | Sven Fuchs, Lars Kruckeberg, Wolfram Putz, Thomas Willemeit, Dennis Hawner |
| Project Lead | Aleca Bunescu, Bojan Zdravkovic |
| Project Team | Martin Bernard, Nils Besler, Mathilde Dewavrin, Ana Lopez de Rego |
| Photography | POP KUDAMM, Marc Brinkmeier |
| Year | 2022 |
Description by architects
POP KUDAMM is a temporary cultural space in Berlin's City West: In exhibitions, performances, pop-ups and a wide variety of events, POP KUDAMM addresses current issues of urban life and stimulates public discourse.
The ensemble of 35 containers was designed by GRAFT, who together with the experience of PLATOON cultural development were responsible for the architectural development. POP KUDAMM was initiated by Signa Real Estate in cooperation with TU Berlin and UDK Berlin.
Created as a place of participation, POP KUDAMM and its partners from art, culture, science and architecture offer a creative space to bring people and ideas together.To ensure a varied program, POP KUDAMM works with selected curators and guest curators. For the arts and culture, these are: Christoph Frank of PLATOON cultural development; for architecture and urban development, Nadin Heinich, plan A; and for science and research, Dr.-Ing. Anja Steglich, Technische Universitat Berlin, and Professor Albert Lang, Universitat der Kunste.
About GRAFT
GRAFT is conceived as a studio for architecture, urban planning, design, music and the pursuit of happiness. Since its establishment 1998 in Los Angeles, it has been commissioned to design and manage a wide range of projects across multiple disciplines and in numerous locations. Further offices followed in Berlin in 2001 and Beijing in 2004.
We believe in the power of architecture as a tool, best employed not for its own sake, but to represent ambiguous and diverse identities.
Although the company’s core enterprises gravitate around the field of architecture and the built environment, GRAFT has always maintained an interest in crossing the boundaries between disciplines and “grafting” the creative potential and methodologies of different realities. This is reflected in its expansion into the fields of exhibition and product design, art installations and academic projects, as well as in their variety of project locations around the world.
In 2014, we set up GRAFT Brandlab, an agency enabling an additional focus on communication design, brand strategy and consultancy while staying true to the original multidisciplinary approach and working methods.
Architecture is a cultural technique. It is never self-contained, nor finite; it is part of a complex cultural cycle in service of society as a whole. As a result, architecture is always a representation of society rather than an autonomous discipline. The importance of identity within designed space, from individual to community, from city to region, cannot be underestimated. At a time when there is a blurring of boundaries between the real and the virtual, urban and rural, and local and global, our built environment plays a fundamental role in defining identity.
GRAFT is responding to the challenges of the future with an optimistic attitude towards multiple and simultaneous identities, which enables a higher degree of complexity. There is no such thing as one single truth, and we believe that hybridization enhances the qualities of its constituent characteristics.
Our design process is evidence-based and human-centered. Our approach stems from scenography and movement rather than tectonics. In this way, we are able to create dynamic, flexible architecture that allows multiple readings.
Our work features designs for projects in the fields of residential and commercial architecture, health care, mobility, digitization, work, branding, master planning and urban culture, all of which graft different realities into new hybrids.
With projects in more than 30 countries, our work as well as our employees are truly international. Our team of about 100 architects, interior designers, communication experts and administrative staff works from offices in Berlin, Los Angeles and Shanghai.
Besides GRAFT’s architectural work the company also acts as a catalyst for socially impactful initiatives. GRAFT collaborates with leading entrepreneurs in different fields to establish long lasting solutions for the future – as a continuous effort for tackling problems of the 21st century.
In 2007, together with Brad Pitt, Bill McDonough and the Cherokee Foundation, GRAFT established the Make It Right Foundation, whose objective was the rebuilding of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina. GRAFT’s self-initiated projects also include SOLARKIOSK, a company founded with the German lawyer Andreas Spies in 2009 to bring clean energy, connectivity and solar products to rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa. And, in 2015, GRAFT co-founded Heimat2, which aims to bring dignified housing solutions to refugees in Europe.
| Address | Heidestrase 50, 10557 Berlin, Germany |
| Phone | +4930306451030 |
| Website | http://www.graftlab.com/ |
About Platoon
The creative energy of contemporary culture changes our world for the better. It opens minds, encourages free thinking and cultivates a global spirit of possibilities. The mission of THE GLOBAL CREATIVE ALLIANCE is to amplify an international movement promoting this potential on both a global and local level, joining forces with allies worldwide.
We face times where politics and business seem to have reached the limits of their abilities to transform our societies towards greater peace, respect and freedom. Technology only eases our profound problems. Traditional religions have generally failed, and the emerging modern spirituality sells self over all.
THE GLOBAL CREATIVE ALLIANCE empowers an alternative, manifesting modern creativity, art and movements which are changing the world right now. We establish supportive relationships within our membership and add relevant cultural topics to the primary agenda—to inspire and promote our collective global cultural development.
| Address | Kurfurstendamm 229, 10719 Berlin, Germany |
| Phone | +49 30 28882160 |
| Website | http://www.platoon.org/ |
| Pop Kudamm | https://popkudamm.berlin/ |
Platoon Kunsthalle and Pop Kudamm - Mixed Use Shipping Container Temporary Buildings