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Busan to Livestream the Design Competition Review for “Global Startup Hub Busan”

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the second-round judging for the design competition to establish the “Global Startup Hub Busan” at North Port Pier 1 will be streamed live on the Busan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation’s YouTube channel today (May 7) at 2:00 PM.

○ The competition is being conducted through an international invited proposal format.

• ●[Phase 1] Selection of invited design teams through an open application process

• ●[Phase 2] Proposal presentations by the selected invited teams

○ In accordance with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s guidelines on architectural design competitions, the full second-round judging process—including the judges’ feedback—will be publicly broadcast to enhance transparency and fairness.

The design competition is a critical step in transforming the historically significant North Port Pier 1 into a landmark and core infrastructure for Busan’s startup ecosystem. Prior to the review, Mayor Park will visit the site to explain the competition’s purpose and encourage the participating domestic and international teams.

○ He is also expected to reiterate the city’s commitment to ensuring the transparency and fairness of the judging process through the livestreamed session.

North Port Pier 1, where the Global Startup Hub will be built, has historically served as a gateway to Busan Port. The city developed the design guidelines through in-depth discussions and consultations with relevant institutions to preserve cultural heritage and spatial value.

○ The judging will follow the design guidelines, while also allowing flexibility on the day of review based on the jury chair’s direction and panel discussion.

○ The goal outlined in the guidelines is to “propose a plan that preserves historical and cultural identity while harmonizing with modern functions.”

The competition has attracted significant interest from architects at home and abroad. The winning design will be announced on May 13. The city plans to proceed with heritage review and detailed design, with completion targeted for 2026.

○ The four invited teams participating in the final review are:

• ●UNIT UA Architects (Korea) & Handplus Architects (Korea)

• ●OBR Open Building Research (Italy) & Kang Boo-jun Architects (Korea)

• ●OMA Asia (Hong Kong) & Rarahojo Architects (Korea)

• ●LUHA Architects (Korea), MSR Design (USA), and Daehong Communications (Korea)
  Each team has submitted creative and innovative designs that reflect the historical significance of North Port Pier 1.

○ Preliminary technical reviews covering construction regulations, architectural structures, landscaping, and costs have been completed. A jury composed of experts in architecture and cultural heritage will conduct the final review fairly and transparently.

• ●Jury Members:

• ○Kang Dong-jin (Professor, Urban Planning, Kyungsung University; Cultural Heritage Committee Member)

• ○Yoo Myung-hee (Professor, Architecture, University of Ulsan)

• ○Lee Sang-yoon (Professor, Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University)

• ○Cho Yoon-hee (Principal, GUBO Architects)

• ○Cho Jae-mo (Professor, Architecture, Kyungpook National University)

Meanwhile, “Global Startup Hub Busan” is a project to remodel an old warehouse at North Port Pier 1 into a global innovation base that will bring together startups, entrepreneurs, research institutions, and investors. It is the only such project selected outside the Seoul metropolitan area through a Ministry of SMEs and Startups competition.

○ With a total project budget of approximately KRW 31.8 billion, the facility will include not only startup spaces but also historical and cultural zones, communication areas, support services, and amenities.

Mayor Park stated, “This design competition is a key step in the successful establishment of Global Startup Hub Busan. I hope the final design reflects Busan’s values through a blend of innovation and practicality, and I urge the panel to conduct a thorough and fair review.”

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Appendix: Overview of the Global Startup Hub Busan Project

• ●Project Name: Global Startup Hub (Startup Park) Busan

• ●Location: Logistics warehouse at North Port Pier 1, Busan Port (~1,240 pyeong)

• ●Total Budget: KRW 31.8 billion (KRW 25 billion for remodeling: national 12.6B, municipal 12.1B, other 0.3B; KRW 6.8 billion for land)

• ●Duration: Oct 2024 – 2026

• ●Purpose: Create a landmark hub combining innovation, culture, and exhibitions where global youth gather to pursue startups

• ○Inspired by “Station F” model: private-sector-led, open startup incubation

• ○Establish a “Connecting Space” linking fragmented public-private startup support systems

Progress Timeline:

• ●Aug 2023: Startup Town Task Force launched with 12 related institutions

• ●Mar–May 2024: Evaluation (documents → site visit → final presentation) for MSS competition

• ●Jul 2024: Selected as the only non-metropolitan region project

• ●Nov–Dec 2024: Central investment review and public asset management approval

• ●Jan–May 2025: Design competition (Final announcement: May 13, Tuesday)