The Audeum Museum in Seoul, designed by Kengo Kuma, offers a unique approach to exhibition spaces as it integrates visual elements with sound, light, wind, and scent.
Situated in the Gangnam district, the museum is set to become a global attraction for audiophiles, being the world's first museum dedicated entirely to audio.
© Taiki Fukao
Kuma's vision for the museum aims to re-establish a connection with nature, evident in the building's architecture and its integration with the Cheonggye Mountain surroundings.
© Taiki Fukao
The striking façade of the Audeum, reminiscent of organ pipes and natural rock formations, is achieved through vertically stacked aluminium louvres that create dynamic shadows. This design mimics natural light changes and highlights the beauty of light as it varies with time and season. The use of aluminium tubes allows for new expressions of the building's exterior to emerge according to the seasons, blending urban and natural characteristics into the architecture.
© Taiki Fukao
With seven floors and over 224,000 square meters of exhibition space, the Audeum houses a world-class collection of sound reproduction equipment dating back to the 19th century. Key exhibits include Western Electric's 12-A and 13-A sound systems, which played a significant role in the transition from silent films to 'talkies' during the 1927 film The Jazz Singer.
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Cover photo: © Yongbaek Lee
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