A New National Campus for the Future of Korean Football

UNS has completed the Korean Football Park in Cheonan, South Korea, creating the new home of the Korea Football Association (KFA). Designed as a comprehensive sports campus, the project brings together elite training facilities, education, recovery, and public engagement in a single destination that supports not only top-level athletes but also future generations of players and football fans.

Photo credit: Rohspace

Covering approximately 450,427 square metres, the campus integrates world-class training facilities with healthcare, wellness, education, and public spaces. More than a national training centre, the project establishes a new architectural landmark designed to support the long-term development of Korean football. According to Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect of UNS, "The completed campus gives Korean football a strong architectural brand identity while creating the conditions for long-term growth. It supports athletes with dedicated spaces for training and recovery, while offering supporters and visitors a meaningful connection to the wider story of the game."

Photo credit: Rohspace

A Masterplan Integrating Architecture and Sports Operations

UNS developed the overall masterplan together with the campus's principal facilities, including the players' residences, the outdoor stadium integrated with the KFA headquarters, and the climate-controlled indoor training arena. The project was realized through close collaboration with specialists in sports science, stadium operations, and active technology. During the design process, UNS worked closely with the Johan Cruijff ArenA, incorporating decades of expertise in stadium logistics, operational planning, media requirements, security zoning, and future-oriented venue management into the design. Henk Markerink, former CEO of Johan Cruijff ArenA, explains, "The ordering of functions is extremely important in training complexes of this kind. By creating a gradual transition from public spaces to semi-public and private areas, we designed an experience that feels like entering a small city."

Photo credit: Rohspace

Photo credit: Rohspace

A New Home for Korea's National Teams

Located about one hour from Seoul, the Korean Football Park serves as the new home of the Korean national football teams while also supporting youth development, women's football, and public activities. At the heart of the campus is a central public plaza surrounded by three major facilities: the future football museum, the indoor stadium, and the outdoor stadium integrated with the KFA headquarters. The plaza functions as the social centre of the development, hosting events, retail, and everyday public activities. Integrating the KFA headquarters directly with the stadium enables coaches, management, players, medical teams, and supporters to remain closely connected. Sports medicine specialists can monitor player performance in real time while maintaining direct communication with team management, creating an environment that supports high-performance football.

Photo credit: Rohspace

Photo credit: Rohspace

Photo credit: Rohspace

A Landscape-Led Campus

Responding to the site's mountainous terrain, the masterplan adopts a terraced landscape strategy that efficiently organizes the football pitches while creating a natural transition from public gathering spaces to the more private areas dedicated to athletes and staff.

The completed campus includes:

• 11 football pitches
• An indoor stadium
• An outdoor stadium
• A football museum (planned)
• Fitness centres
• Healthcare and rehabilitation facilities
• Retail spaces
• Multi-purpose sports areas
• Youth accommodation
• A women's national team training centre
• A hotel and spa

Together, these facilities allow the campus to operate throughout the year rather than only during national team training periods.

Photo credit: Rohspace

Designed Around Performance, Recovery, and Wellbeing

The Korean Football Park extends beyond conventional sports infrastructure by integrating performance, recovery, medical care, mental wellbeing, and data-driven athlete development into a unified environment. Running tracks, gymnasiums, and treatment facilities are carefully arranged to create seamless connections between training, assessment, rehabilitation, and recovery. Natural materials, landscaped outdoor spaces, and panoramic views contribute to an environment that supports concentration and relaxation. The players' accommodation and wellness facilities provide privacy while remaining closely connected to the wider campus. Technology has also been incorporated throughout the project. Intelligent lighting, sensor systems, and infrastructure designed for future technical upgrades enable long-term athlete monitoring and ensure that the campus can continue evolving alongside advances in sports science and coaching methods. According to Sander van Stiphout, International Director at Johan Cruijff ArenA, "The essence of this project is its dual purpose. It connects elite football with aspiring young players while opening the campus to the wider community. That combination is incredibly powerful."

Photo credit: Rohspace

Photo credit: Rohspace

About UNS

Founded in Amsterdam in 1988 by Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos, UNS is an international architecture, design, and consulting studio. Beyond architecture, the practice works across urban planning, landscape architecture, interior design, product design, and user experience. With offices in Amsterdam, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dubai, Frankfurt, Melbourne, Riyadh, and Austin, UNS delivers globally informed, locally responsive projects that combine innovation, sustainability, and enduring design quality.