Oil Tank Culture ParkClaimed by the owner

Oil Tank Culture Park (문화비축기지) sits at the foot of Maebongsan mountain in Mapo, west Seoul, near the World Cup Stadium. It occupies a decommissioned oil storage facility whose six tanks have been converted into exhibition halls, performance venues, and community spaces. The park grounds also host markets, exhibitions, performances, and workshops throughout the year.

From Oil Storage to Culture Park

The facility was built in 1976 in response to the 1973 oil crisis. Six tanks were installed to hold emergency reserves, storing 69 million liters of oil, enough to supply Seoul's citizens for about a month. It was classified as a hazardous facility once construction began nearby for the 2002 World Cup Stadium, and it was permanently closed in 2000. The site sat unused for over a decade until the Seoul Metropolitan Government held a citizen idea competition in 2013 and an international design contest, won by RoA Architects with a plan titled "Petro: Reading the Story of the Site."

The Tanks Today

Each of the six original tanks was repurposed rather than demolished. T1 (Glass Pavilion) is a multi-purpose space for exhibitions, workshops, and performances. T2 (Stage) functions as an indoor and outdoor performance hall. T3 (Sustained Oil Tank) was left largely intact to show the site's industrial past. T4 (Culture Complex) hosts performances, exhibitions, and experiential programs. T5 (Story Hall) is a museum documenting the transformation from oil depot to cultural park. T6 (Community Center), built using steel plate from a dismantled tank, contains a laboratory, cafeteria, conference room, and small eco-library. The outdoor Culture Yard, once empty space, now hosts markets, festivals, and large-scale performances, and the surrounding grounds retain existing trees alongside newly planted flowers and trees.