foster and partners: dream hub yongsan IBD masterplan sam taeguk

foster + partners masterplan – sam-taeguk all images courtesy of dream hub

the aim of foster + partners‘ proposal for the ‘dream hub’ yongsan IBD masterplan development was to transform this area of seoul, korea from a large railway goods yard to a new exciting metropolis. the current site is predominantly inaccessible, so foster + partners wanted to resolve this by creating a new heart for the city, but also reach out to its surroundings through three architectural arcs based on the sam-taeguk – an icon derived from the taoist idea of ying and yang.

as expressed by the design brief, the main focal point of the hub are the landmark towers which form the sam-taeguk. known as the ‘helixia’, the three spiraling towers will give new focus and meaning to yongsan by connecting three diverse areas together: the yongsan station, the river han and the yongsan electronics district. as visitors move around these grand crescents, they will experience a variety of spaces with winding ramps and lifts connecting at a multitude of levels.

this spiraling geometry is reminiscent of the cosmos, with yongsan at the birthplace of it all – a new global destination. helixia will be the centre of electricity and interaction, surrounded by twisting, rising buildings reaching upwards toward the sky.

view of the ground level which includes commercial and residential developments

the ‘helixia’ formed by three spiraling towers

aerial view

aerial view

aerial view

overall context of the masterplan

relationship between the landmark towers

interior of one of the towers

profile of the grand crescents

view of the public and cultural buildings

aerial illustration of the plan for the grand crescents

illustration of masterplanzoning

technical plans of the helixia