A Dazzling Light Box by the Han River A World-Class Art Landmark in the Spotlight!

What happens when the avant-garde soul of Paris's Centre Pompidou meets the modern skyline of Yeouido, Seoul?

On June 4, 2026, the highly anticipated Centre Pompidou Hanwha will make its grand debut along the banks of the Han River! This opening is not only a tribute to the 140th anniversary of France-Korea diplomatic ties but also marks the rise of a dazzling new star on the map of Asian contemporary art.

The Stunning Rebirth of an Abandoned Aquarium: A Living, Breathing "Light Box"

This brand-new cultural landmark was masterfully designed by the legendary French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Skillfully employing his philosophy of "subtractive architecture," he has transformed the once-abandoned aquarium and commercial spaces at the base of the 63 Building into a magnificent art sanctuary spanning over 11,000 square meters.

Wilmotte has bestowed upon it a deeply poetic name—the "Light Box."

The building's facade features a highly textured double-skin glass curtain wall, drawing inspiration from the elegant curves of traditional Korean roof tiles. By day, the crystal-clear glass reflects the shimmering Han River and the bustling skyline of Seoul's financial district. As night falls, soft light spills out through translucent, corrugated, and frosted glass panels. The entire structure transforms into a glowing treasure chest, illuminating the night sky over Yeouido and standing as the most enchanting cultural beacon along the Han River.

SYP Excellence, Elevating World-Class Landmarks

This project represents a culmination of Yaopi's advanced craftsmanship and new material applications:
Successfully overcoming the challenging small-radius reverse bending process, and while ensuring the structural safety of the glass, perfectly replicating the architectural fluid curves, achieving a seamless fit between glass and metal.
Through customized lamination processes and optical-grade material formulations, it has become a benchmark project with the largest application of Kuraray milky white ionoplastic interlayers in a single building, endowing the glass with a unique milky white light-transmitting texture. This treatment not only enhances the safety level of the curtain wall but also precisely controls the diffuse reflection of light, providing a soft and stable natural lighting environment for the genuine masterpieces by Picasso, Braque, and other artists inside the museum.

A Perfect Dance of Top-Tier Art and Modern Light & Shadow

As a pivotal step in Pompidou's global "Constellation" program, the center boasts 3,000 square meters of top-tier exhibition space. Through ingenious lighting design, natural light and the interior exist in perfect harmony. The former underground parking lot has been transformed into a five-story high sculpture garden, where sunlight cascades down through a glass dome, creating a vibrant urban "green lung."

The inaugural exhibition, "The Cubists: Creating a Modern Vision," will bring together 90 masterpieces from the museum's collection, including works by Picasso and Braque. Safeguarding these treasures of human art is none other than this transparent, secure, and aesthetically striking modern glass architectural system.

From the renovation of the Louvre in Paris to museum constructions around the globe, top-tier glass craftsmanship has always served as a bridge connecting art with the public. The Centre Pompidou Hanwha's ultimate pursuit of light and shadow once again confirms the indispensable role of high-performance glass in modern landmark architecture.

This project is not only the culmination of SYP Glass's mastery over emerging materials and its breakthroughs in high-difficulty small-radius concave curved technology, but it also sets a new global record—becoming the benchmark project with the largest single-building application of Kuraray's SentryGlas® Translucent White ionoplast interlayer.

Whether it is extreme transparency, exceptional energy efficiency, or the flawless presentation of architectural aesthetics, premium glass curtain walls silently safeguard the purity of art, turning every beam of light into part of the exhibit.

This June, let us eagerly await the dazzling debut of this "Light Box" by the Han River, and witness the breathtaking symphony of art, architecture, and light!