SpaceWalk by Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth, Hwanho Park, Pohang, South Korea
SpaceWalk
Heike Mutter & Ulrich Genth · 2021 · Hwanho Park, Pohang
Photo: Fixateur / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Full archive frame, resized; Commons records 16 November 2021. Reused from Street Art Utopia.
People climb the stairs; the central loop is for looking, never walking.
4 things to know
- The loop is the turning pointBoth walking routes end at the central loop. POSCO’s account says the artists wanted the return journey to interrupt expectations of convenience and speed. Going back is part of the work. POSCO / project history Reported
- A structure tuned for vibrationEngineer str.ucture tested different support positions using parametric studies to adjust the structure’s natural vibration frequency. The stairs and railings attach to a curved hollow steel spine; coastal wind loads were a particular design concern. str.ucture / project record Checked
- The construction continues undergroundPOSCO records 25 supporting pillars, connected foundations and 114 micropiles. It also reports using GPS, 3D scanning and ultrasonic testing during construction, alongside hand finishing of individual parts. POSCO / construction Reported
- Eight designs, one final choiceAccording to POSCO, the artists visited local places and spoke with residents and historians before developing eight designs. The final choice involved an advisory committee and representatives of the city and company. POSCO / project history Reported
Check-in guide
- 📍
- Hwanho Park, Duho-dong, Buk-gu, Pohang. The city lists the site as Duho-dong san 8. Pohang tourism Checked
- 🕒
- The city’s April–October schedule is 10:00–20:00 weekdays and 10:00–21:00 weekends and holidays. Winter closing is earlier. Regular closure falls on the first Monday of the month, or the next day when that Monday is a holiday. Pohang tourism Reported
- 🚶
- A September 2026 local report describes cracks in an approach road beside parking-tower construction. Its photographs concern the approach, not damage to the sculpture. Follow current local access instructions. Gyeongbuk Domin / Kim Myeong-deuk Reported
Sightings
- 202116 Nov
Archive photo dated by Commons metadata
- 202118 Nov
Unveiling recorded by the artists
- 202120 Dec
Son Dae-seong photographs visitors on the stairs
- 2025Year only
Artists caption a park photograph 2025
- 20262 Jan
POSCO-supplied event photograph published by News1
- 202614 Sep
Local report documents the approach road
Green stamps identify dated photographs. Amber stamps identify records or publication dates. News1’s caption dates the January event; it gives no separate camera timestamp. September’s report is not a sculpture-condition inspection.
On the record
Three days with different roles
Maeil announced the 18 November ceremony and a reserved event for 333 citizens on 19 November. Yonhap later dated general public access to 20 November.
Strong enough to stand; sometimes closed to walk
Yonhap reported eight days of wind-related access restrictions during the first month. The city explained that protecting people on the stairs required closures even though the structure was designed for much stronger winds.
The view changes as you move
The artists describe illumination integrated into the handrails and walkway. Their comparison is to drawing with a torch during a long photographic exposure: the apparent figure changes with the viewing position.
The facts
- Artist and title
- SpaceWalk, by Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth. Artists’ opening record Checked
- Year and opening
- 2021. The artists record the unveiling on 18 November. A citizens’ event and general opening followed, as distinguished above. Artists’ opening record Checked Maeil / Kim Dae-ho Yonhap / Son Dae-seong
- Commission
- POSCO funded and built the work as a gift to Pohang. The project began with an April 2019 agreement between the company and city. POSCO / project history Checked
- Materials
- Galvanised steel and stainless steel, with concrete foundations. POSCO / construction Checked
- Steel specification
- POSCO identifies SM355A structural tube and 329J3L stainless steel, selected for the coastal setting. Its stated 317-tonne steel weight excludes concrete and lighting. POSCO / construction Reported
- Dimensions
- Artist: 24.6 metres high; approximately 333 metres of track. Engineer: 28 metres high; 330 metres of track, around 300 walkable. Measurement bases unspecified. Mutter / Genth · str.ucture / project record Conflicting
- Stair count
- The city records 717 steps. Pohang tourism Checked
- Latest dated photograph
- News1 published a POSCO-supplied photograph with a caption dated 2 January 2026. “Seen · Jan 2026” refers to that reported event, not an October inspection. News1 / POSCO photograph Reported
- Archive photo
- The SAU image matches Fixateur’s Commons photograph, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Commons records 16 November 2021 as the capture date; its upload followed in October 2023. Camera-clock accuracy is not independently verified. Fixateur / Wikimedia Commons Reported
Related
- Our source collection: 25 Extraordinary Sculptures.
- The artists’ earlier walkable sculpture Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain opened in Duisburg in 2011. Artists’ opening record Checked
- Another Artwork File: Le Grand Éléphant in Nantes.
All sources (11)
- Mutter / Genth. Artists’ project record and 2025 photograph.
- Artists’ opening record. Artist-issued press release; ceremony, lighting and connection with Tiger & Turtle.
- POSCO / construction. 18 May 2022. Builder’s firsthand materials and construction account.
- POSCO / project history. 18 May 2022. Commissioner’s account of selection, local research and unveiling.
- str.ucture / project record. Structural engineer’s firsthand portfolio; support studies and differing dimensions.
- Yonhap / Son Dae-seong. 29 December 2021. Original city interview and reporter-shot photographs dated 18 November and 20 December.
- News1 / POSCO photograph. 2 January 2026. Caption dates the event and credits POSCO Pohang Works as image supplier.
- Pohang tourism. Official visitor listing, updated 25 February 2026; address, hours and regular closure. This is not a dated sculpture photograph.
- Maeil / Kim Dae-ho. 17 November 2021. Local opening preview, with a reporter-credited photograph and a separate supplied image.
- Gyeongbuk Domin / Kim Myeong-deuk. 14 September 2026. Original reporting, photographs and interviews about the approach road; syndicated by Daum.
- Fixateur / Wikimedia Commons. Original record matching our archive photo; author Fixateur, CC BY-SA 4.0, capture date stated as 16 November 2021.
The artists, project organisations, engineer and original news reports are separate evidence origins. POSCO-supplied material is not counted again merely because News1 publishes it.
Artwork File · Last checked 13 October 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files