“Perpetual Spring, The Climate-Correcting Machine,” commissioned by the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul and opened in downtown Seoul in September 2019, received the Architecture MasterPrize (AMP). Designed by Obra Architects, it was named Best of Best in both the Exhibition and Public Space categories for advancing an artificially controlled greenhouse as a public instrument for climate-change awareness.

Conceived as an “artificially controlled greenhouse,” the pavilion’s envelope transforms environmental control into the core architectural experience. A field of 90 cm polycarbonate semi-spheres (“eyes”) punctuates the metallic shell, diffusing daylight and visually mediating between interior and city while reducing glare and heat loss. The translucent skin strengthens the object’s singular form and frames a luminous interior suited to public gathering and exhibition.

Passive and active measures are tightly integrated: photovoltaic power drives automatic exhaust fans and deployable aluminum-foil curtains to regulate ventilation and solar gain, while the enclosure works in concert with the radiant, phase-change floor to stabilize temperature. Daylight delivery, thermal buffering, and airflow are tuned to sustain “perpetual spring” conditions with minimal energy input. The result is a performative façade that operates as both climate apparatus and urban signal, focusing attention on collective action around climate change.