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Among Seouls 5 grand palaces
Gyeonghui sometimes called "the forgotten palace"
Firs build in the early 17 century
It was completely erased by the Japanese during colonial occupation of Korea
In 1990s the original foundation stones and building records
Were used to reconstruct the Palace
For the next 6 month there's something unusual on the palace grounds
Amid the old a new is a curious ultra modern structure
Called "the Prada transformer"
Collaboration of the Italian designer and a Dutch architect
Rem Koolhaas
Described by Koolhaas, as a "dynamic and living organism"
The Transformer is a steel tetrahedron
Made from a hexagon , a cross, a rectangle and a circle
The structure is wrapped in elastic white skin
With the cranes can be rotated
So the wall becomes floor
And ceiling becomes wall
On April 23 Transformer was officially opened with project officials
And Korean pop-stars
All clad in Prada
2 days later it was opened to the public as a travelling exhibit
Weight down
Skirts by Miuccia Prada
The show now is on it's 5th iteration
Features Prada designs from 1988 though the 2009 spring-summer collection
Exhibit fields like a fashion show, boutique and museum combined
Skirts swish back and forth automatically
A large cut-outs of models hang diagonally from the walls
Also on display are the fruits of a 3 week exercise
With several Korean design schools
Prada ask top-students to create skirts that reflects the past, present and future
Of Korean esthetics and culture
Over the next 6 month
The 20 meter height
180 ton structure
Will transform it's footprint to accommodate various events
In June Oscar-nominated director Alejandra Gonzales
Will co-curate a short film series intitled "Flash, mind and soul"
The Prada will release notes for diversed lections
Will feature physical, intellectual and spiritual films
Starting July 30
Swedish artist Nathalie Djurberg's installation "turn into me"
Will also be on display
Djurberg's stopped action animation dramas use claymation
To create what the artist calls "fairytales gone mad"
Though October, Transformer will plays undisclosed special events
If you wondering why the Seoul was selected
As the Transformers first, and as yet, only stop
Prada officially said
That's city's vibrant attitude
Koreans understanding of architecture and art
As well as the nation's growing fashion and design industries
All those city efficiencies had suggested locating Transformer
On Olympic park or along side Han river
Koolhaas lobbied hard for the Palace