Kengo Kuma-designed audio museum in Seoul wins special interior prize in world’s most beautiful museums category at Prix Versailles
Audeum Audio Museum in Seoul has won the Special Prize for an Interior in the World’s Most Beautiful Museums category at the Prix Versailles, an annual international architecture award ceremony held in collaboration with UNESCO, the museum announced Monday.
The Prix Versailles, established in 2015, is an international award recognizing excellence in architecture and design around the world with seven categories that include hotels, campuses, airports and restaurants. The museum category was introduced in 2024 to mark the award’s 10th anniversary.
The sole audio museum in Seoul -- designed by Japanese architecture practice Kengo Kuma and Associates -- was one of seven museums worldwide shortlisted for three honors in the World’s Most Beautiful Museums category: the Prix Versailles, the Special Prize for an Interior, and the Special Prize for an Exterior.
“Chung Mong-jin, chairman of KCC (a construction materials firm based in Seoul), dedicated his personal funds to launch the museum, donating a collection he had amassed over decades as an audio enthusiast and collector. The museum is free of charge for visitors,” an official from the museum told The Korea Herald on Monday.
Audeum Audio Museum was founded in 2024 to present a world-class collection tracing the history of sound reproduction from the late 19th century to today, including rare instruments such as an Edison phonograph and a Western Electric loudspeaker, according to the museum.
“It is a place where you can not only see but also experience sound firsthand. Moreover, it is not just a place to listen to sound; it is an architectural instrument that returns humans to a natural state, allowing them to experience the five senses of the body,” the Kengo Kuma and Associates noted.
The award ceremony was held on Thursday at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The jury, chaired by former UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova, comprises architects, designers and leading cultural figures.
“UNESCO reminds us that architecture is inseparable from culture. It is a form of expression that carries memory, fosters identity, and builds bridges between people,” Bokova said in the opening speech for the award ceremony on Thursday.
Another Korean architectural space, the Seven Island cafe in Busan, was nominated in the World’s Most Beautiful Restaurants category.
yunapark@heraldcorp.com
