SOM: diagonal tower yongsan international business district
‘diagonal tower’ by SOM, seoul, koreaimage © SOM/crystal CG
international firm SOM (skidmore, owings + merril) have sent us images of ‘diagonal tower’ a development proposal for the yongsan international business district in seoul, korea. the 343-meter high building successfully integrates massing, structure and performance to minimize wind loads, reduce construction costs, provide dramatic views and meet strict energy codes, while maintaining an iconic skyline presence.
the 64-story structure provides over 170 000 square meters of open office space, two double-height sky lobbies with a cafeteria and fitness center, two retail pavilions, a glass multifunctional auditorium and a penthouse executive lounge.
night view image © SOM/crystal CG
louvers are positioned at varying angles to reduce glass and provide shading in the summer and to allow direct sunlight to warm the building’s interiors during the cold winter months. the exterior wall utilizes three layers of glass instead of the typical two to decrease energy loss through the facade. an integrated active chilled beam system transfers heating and cooling energy using water instead of air, resulting in less consumption and greater environmental comfort.
the diagonal megaframe structure defines the form and reduces the amount of steel by 25 percent over a conventionally framed building. the prismatic profile cuts wind forces by mitigating the effects of a whirlwind on the leeway side of the edifice. the tower is supported with four massive piers at the corners allowing the lobby to be entirely free of columns and to be visually connected to the urban plaza across from the yongsan train station.
aerial viewimage © SOM/crystal CG
auditorium night view image © SOM
image © SOM/crystal CG
auditorium from south east image © SOM
tower base image © SOM
interior lobby image © SOM
sky lobby cafeteria image © SOM
sky lobby fitness center image © SOM
rendered site plan image © SOM
level / 08 image © SOM
level / 13 image © SOM
level / 24 image © SOM
level / 25 image © SOM
level / 42 image © SOM
level / 47 image © SOM
(left) typical square tower form (middle) rotated to address seoul landmarks (right) diagonal mega frame increase structural efficiency image © SOM
(left) faceted form decreases effects of the wind (right) louvers spacing and orientation varies for optimal shading on each facet image © SOM
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Christ, I was sold after the first two renderings. Where do I wire the money.
Jim
Thanks to Norman Foster!!!
It a copy/past of the Foster scheme for the world trade center….
I feel that anything Foster has proposed in the way of skyscrapers was most likely kicked around the SOM offices since the 70’s…
I would not be so hasty to call “copy” on one of the firms responsible for the modern ideal’s of this typology.
How do you turn that 90 degrees angle running? and for how long can you turn 90’s running before you fall down and cry? i don’t know but some people just need to be ridiculous no matter what.
Agree 100% with Julian an Jim.
A beautiful project for a tower, and some ridiculous aspects to sell it. It wasn’t necessary at all.
Visually, I think it is just awesome
6 people were killed while Samsung and the Korean GOV evict people who lived at Youngsan for this project 2009. google Young San massacre. Seoul people can’t be happy with those architectural clowns.