Turkish architect's robot museum debuts in Seoul

SEOUL

The world’s first robot and artificial intelligence museum, designed by a Turkish architect, has opened its doors to visitors in the South Korean capital Seoul.

Melike Altınışık emerged victorious among 47 contenders from the international competition organized for the museum project in 2008.

"A total of 177 teams participated in the competition in the preselection period, and our museum design was chosen as one of the top five finalists from 47 projects that were submitted. We learned that our proposal had won the top prize in 2019 after the projects were presented to the jury in Seoul,” Altınışık recalled.

The design manifesto they created for the museum aims to establish a stimulating environment for visitors with its distinct architectural language based on clever design and construction techniques, she said.

The interplay between technical innovation and contemporary architectural expression forms the foundation of the museum's design philosophy, as highlighted by Altınışık, who also noted that they constructed intermediate spaces that govern traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian.

Noting that the robots greet the visitors at the museum’s entry, Altınışık said the escalator-accessible vertical display tunnel they designed serves as a threshold blurring the line between the real world and the realm of AI technologies.

“Showcasing the future of science, technology and architecture, the Seoul Robot and AI Museum is much more than just a museum. As the world's first robot and AI museum, it serves as a symbol for South Korea,” Altınışık said.

Marking the start of a new professional chapter on the global stage, Altınışık stated that they have set up an office in Seoul and signed a contract with the Seoul Metropolitan Municipality, adding that they have also received offers for several additional projects in South Korea.