SEOUL | Cross#Towers | 214m | 52 fl | Cancelled

[Þróndeimr]

Cross#Towers

Client: Dreamhub
Architect: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group
Landscape Architect: Martha Schwarz Partners (MSP)
Local Architect: SIAPLAN
Area: 96.534 m2
Tower 1: 214m | 52 Floors
Tower 2: 204m | 48 Floors
Units: 627

BIG’s residential towers in the Yongsan International Business District revitalize the Han riverfront into a new commercial and residential center for
the citizens of Seoul.

Situated at the south-east edge of the Yongsan master plan designed by Studio Liebeskind for the Korean development group Dreamhub, BIG’s
Cross # Towers will contribute to the developing skyline of Seoul and become a recognizable marker of the new cultural and commercial center of
the city. BIG was selected to submit a design proposal for Yongsan International Business District among 19 international offices, including SOM,
Dominique Perrault, REX and MVRDV.

The 21 000 m2 site is positioned next to the existing urban fabric in the future development zones of the Yongsan master plan. BIG’s design
includes two elegant towers with a height of 214 and 204m. To meet the height requirements of the site, the exceeding building mass is
transformed into an upper and lower horizontal bar, which bridge the two towers at 140m and 70 m height. The two towers are additionally
connected through the arrival bar at the ground level – and a courtyard below ground.

“The Cross # Towers constitute a three-dimensional urban community of interlocking horizontal and vertical towers. Three public bridges connect
two slender towers at different levels – underground, at the street and in the sky. Catering to the demands and desires of different residents,
age groups and cultures the bridges are landscaped and equipped for a variety of activities traditionally restricted to the ground. The resultant
volume forms a distinct figure on the new skyline of Seoul – a “#” that serves as a gateway to the new Yongsan Business District signaling a
radical departure from the crude repetition of disconnected towers towards a new urban community that populates the three-dimensional space
of the city.” Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner, BIG.

Both the upper and lower bridge introduce rooftop sky gardens accessible to residents, allowing for outdoor activities, while a courtyard at the
heart of the development is an integral part of the overall architectural design. Dramatic views towards the neighboring towers and visual
connections across the courtyard from the retail zone create an exciting space for the residents and visitors. The outdoor landscape is
envisioned to draw from the charm of traditional courtyards combined with the modernity of the project. Pedestrians at the arrival deck which
connects the towers at ground level can enjoy impressive views to the bridges above and to the submerged courtyard below.

The development will offer over 600 high-end residences and amenities, including a library, gallery space and a kindergarten. BIG’s design ensures
that the tower apartments have optimal conditions towards sun and views. The bar units are given value through their spectacular views and
direct access to the roofscapes, activating the outdoor realm. The exterior facades are developed to correspond to the different orientations
and solar conditions, creating a diverse façade which varies from the viewer’s vantage point and the position of the sun.


Illustration by MIR


Illustration by MIR

[tikiturf]

Impressive renders !

[inno4321]

Great rendering!!!!!

[Chad]

Stunnning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO impressive!

[korea2002]

very thanks for making new threads. terrific!!

[Victhor]

The project is great but those amazing renderings and photoshop works make it look much better

[anakngpasig]

interesting!

[Kimiwind1184]

Another good looking residential tower for Seoul !!!

[karnilla]

I like the design very much! I hope it gets to be built soon.

[brianmoon85]

Why do those rooftop gardens remind of Highline Park in New York for some odd reason or is it just me?? lol

[R@ptor]

One of the most spectacular design I've seen in recent times. Hopefully it gets build.

[biningzhu]

Oh,is very Beautiful

[UjaiDidida]

This is engineer's nightmare.

[patrykus]

True. What it basically is a horizontal skyscraper hanging at a height of around 100 meters The whole project isn't too classy, but damn I'm dying to see how they will construct this thing

[Eric Offereins]

That would be definitely interesting. Probably a lot of steel involved.

[Þróndeimr]

This one has been cancelled.

Originally Posted by aquaticko

Korail votes to put a stop to Yongsan development

"The 31 trillion won ($27 billion) Yongsan property development project, the largest-ever in Korean history, is officially dead in the water after a seven-year struggle.

According to Korail, the largest stakeholder of the Yongsan International Business District development project yesterday, the company’s board of directors voted to revoke the project and land contracts.

All 13 members of the board agreed to put an end to it. “Korail tried to normalize the project in order to minimize the social and economic loss for society, but private investors including Lotte Tour Development and Samsung C&T were opposed to our proposal,” the company said in a statement.

The state-run railway operator will now have to pay 2.4 trillion won to project executor Dream Hub Financial Investment, which it had earned from selling the land to the financial investment company. On March 14, Dream Hub defaulted on 5.2 billion won worth of interest on the 200 billion won asset-backed commercial paper.

Korail will pay 540 billion won of the money today - the remainder will be paid back in June and September.

How the debt-ridden Korail will come up with the money remains to be seen. Market watchers say the company will have to borrow the money from banks or issue corporate bonds.

Korail hasn’t posted a surplus in its railway business for the last eight years after it was converted from a government agency to a public corporation in January 2005.

The railway unit has so far accumulated 1.3 trillion won in deficit, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Dream Hub will be officially notified of the cancellation of the land purchase by April 22. The whole project contract will become ineffective starting April 29.

The area in Yongsan containing train warehouses will be returned to Korail. The rest of the land will go back in the hands of residents of Seobuichon-dong, central Seoul.

The residents held a press conference yesterday, saying that they will demand at least 220 billion won in compensation to make up for their losses for the past seven years.

The project, proposed in 2006, was deemed to be Korea’s largest property development project, turning the area into a large international complex of offices, malls, hotels and apartments."

The end . This whole thing turned into such a big mess, didn't it. Oh well.