Named Velo Towers, the buildings will comprise stacks of rounded blocks that look like the rotating camshafts of an engine.

The tallest of the towers will stand at 153 metres, substantially shorter than the neighbouring 200 and 300-metre-high skyscrapers proposed by architects BIG and MVRDV for the South Korean commercial district that was masterplanned by Daniel Libeskind.

The towers will be clad in glazed panels with frames coated in pearlescent car paint.

The completed towers will contain a total of 500 apartments, while lounges and gym facilities will be housed within the two-storey bridge.

Asymptote Architecture are one amongst a host of international architects that have been commissioned by developer DreamHub to design a landmark tower for the emerging commercial centre.

See all of our stories about the district here and see images of each project in our special slideshow feature.

See more stories about skyscrapers »

Here's some more information from Asymptote Architecture:

Asymptote Architecture Announces Velo Towers in Seoul, South Korea

New York, June 12 – Asymptote Architecture principals Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Couture are pleased to announce the launch of the Velo Towers, within the Dreamhub development in the Yongsan District of Seoul Korea. Asymptote's project is designed as an integral part of the master plan accommodating several new projects that are situated along the newly planned Yongsan Park. Neighboring projects include MVRDV’s Cloud Towers, the Cross # Towers by BIG Architects and Project R6 by REX.

The Velo Towers are composed as a dynamic arrangement of stacked and rotated volumes that are a formal and programmatic counterpoint to the conventional extrusion of massing that exemplifies the supertall as a building type. By breaking down the scale and massing of the two distinct towers into interconnected circular and oblong volumes, the Velo project proposes an alternative architectural and urbanistic response to the repetitive and monolithic austerity of conventional tower design.

The recombination of the typical tower form into a new horizontal and vertical configuration enables the formation of a socially engaging and dynamic environmental response, as well as the creation of a discreet yet compelling architectural landmark for the Yongsan district. The Towers' eight distinct residential components are rotated and positioned within a carefully choreographed massing arrangement, calibrating the orientation and views of each residential volume and taking full advantage of the Towers' position adjacent to the Yongsan Park overlooking the Han River in the distance.

With a collection of roof gardens, shared amenities and internal circulation around light filled open atrium spaces, the vertically distributed massing elements create unique 6 to 8 storey residential communities on the skyline. The towers are joined by two bridge structures that house shared public amenities, and act as neighborhood scale 'connectors' for the towers’ residents. The building's raised plinth hovers above the communal landscape surrounding the base of the Towers while the Skybridge floats 30 storeys above; housing fitness and recreations centers, lounges, pools, spas and cafes along with a sky garden providing spectacular views over the entire Yongsan site.

While the overall massing of the Velo Towers is comprised of a dynamic arrangement of rotated and stacked components, the architecture of the towers is further articulated volumetrically and materially at the scale of the facades. The unique faceted façades of the Velo Towers are comprised of large prefabricated components consisting of glass within custom molded composite shells finished in pearlescent automotive paint. The 500 individual luxury units that vary in size from 45m2 to 82m2 are also designed for compatibility with custom prefabricated plug-in interior components.

Asymptote's design of the Velo Towers exploits the latest advances in design, materials and digital fabrication that are now prevalent in present day automotive, aerospace and marine industries. The merging of these with the latest technological advancements in architecture and the ways in which components can be fabricated and buildings assembled, is enabling Asymptote's vision for the Velo Towers to be realized.

The Velo Towers is the third Asymptote project now underway in South Korea. Along with the Velo Towers there is a 3000 sq meter structure for multimedia exhibitions near Gwangui that is scheduled to open in September 2012 and the 650 m tall World Business Center Tower (WBCB) in Busan is currently under development.

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by Asymptote appeared first on Dezeen.

Skyscrapers in Seoul: here's yet another skyscraper proposal for the architectural zoo that is the Yongsan International Business District of Seoul - this time a 385-metre-high tower by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox with a vertiginous swimming pool sticking out two thirds of the way up.

Block H will be located in the northeast corner of the fast-growing commercial district that was masterplanned by Daniel Libeskind, where fifteen other architects have also been commissioned by South Korean developer DreamHub to design landmark towers.

The body of the tower will be split into three wings, with floors that gradually step inwards to create rooftop gardens for the apartments and five star hotel housed inside.

The swimming pool is to be located on the roof of one of these wings and will cantilever precariously over the edge.

Other proposals we've featured from the district include a 620-metre-tall skyscraper by Renzo Piano, an apartment block shaped like a hash symbol by BIG and a faceted tower by SOM.

See all of our stories about the district here and see images of each project in our special slideshow feature.

See all our stories about skyscrapers »

Here's a press release from KPF:

KPF Designs Iconic Tower for Yongsan IBD

385-meter building will include 5-star hotel and high-end residences

International architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) is pleased to present its design for Block H of the Yongsan International Business District (YIBD) in Seoul. The goal of YIBD is to create a new symbol for the 21st Century city; a new urban center in Seoul for international business, living, entertainment, and shopping. YIBD will lead the world in innovative design, maximizing the site potential and taking advantage of connections made to its urban and natural assets. The master plan, created by Studio Daniel Libeskind, is a dynamic urban environment containing contributions from 19 different architects practicing in diverse locations around the globe.

Scheduled for completion in 2016, Block H consists of a luxury 5-Star hotel and high-end serviced residential building containing 167,225 square meters of space. The 385-meter-tall tower sits on a 14,600-square-meter parcel of land on the northeastern border of the YIBD, achieving an FAR of 11.4%. KPF’s building is situated in a way that seeks to mediate the extreme height (665m) of the landmark office tower to the northwest, and transition this height to the lower scale of the residential blocks beyond. KPF sought to intensify the social aspect of the street through a distinct urban landscape and diverse program at the lower levels of the building.

According to KPF Design Principal, Trent Tesch, “Our goal for this project is to establish and make connections to street life, the new city of Yongsan, and to the larger context of Seoul. We do this through a thoughtful approach to the building's program, position, and character.”

Fundamental to the logic of the unique shape of the design is the idea that the building is comprised of apartments and hotel rooms that demand ample natural light, dramatic views, and maximum privacy. These three internal parameters have shaped the DNA of the Architecture. Like an organic system that seeks equilibrium with nature, the design grows outward from the center, towards views and light, into three distinct “wings.” The three wings guarantee that the residential apartments will have a major corner view from the living space, while maximizing its privacy from the adjacent unit. Unlike most “Y” type high-rise towers, the design “steps” each wing asymmetrically so there is a low-wing, a mid-wing and a high-wing. The building is carefully oriented to increase views to the Han River to the south (low-wing), the Yongsan Park to the east (mid-wing), and the Nam-San historic district and adjacent landmark tower to the north (high-wing).

KPF Managing Principal, Richard Nemeth adds, “As demonstrated by this futuristic new city center, Seoul is one of the leading innovative Architectural Arenas in Asia, and we are proud to design the hospitality component of it. We hope that it will successfully bridge the high speed rail network with the commercial components to invigorate the master plan.”

KPF’s tower contains casino, retail, and spa functions in the basement, and the firm proposed a podium building to accommodate a large banquet hall and other amenities for the hotel. The desire, however, is not to create a composition of tower and podium, but rather to create a tower that emerges or grows out of the podium like the organic growth of a crystal. The tower and podium are treated as one singular form, with a language of terraces and set-back forms that grow upwards and outwards towards light and views.

The hotel and serviced residences will be expressed with different but interrelated material palettes. The solid elements on the façade will be expressed as a dynamic pattern of non-repetitious surfaces that create a field on the side walls of the tower and expose the end walls where maximum views are desired. These surfaces transition from stone slab at the base of the building to textured metal surfaces at the top of the building (where the program shifts from hotel to residential), subtly exposing the program of the building. Natural materials such as stone, metal, and wood, are used in ways that heighten their character. Large slabs of stone, planks of wood, and real alloys comprise both interior and exterior surfaces.

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Skyscrapers in Seoul: Renzo Piano Building Workshop have sent us the first image of a 620-metre-tall tower they are designing for Seoul, South Korea.

The tapering, conical Triple One tower will be the centrepiece of the new Yongsan International Business District, a new commercial hub masterplanned by architect Daniel Libeskind for South Korean developer DreamHub.

The district will include skyscrapers by a host of international architects including BIG, MVRDV, SOM, Dominique Perrault and Libeskind and is due for completion in 2024. See all of our stories about the district here, or see images of each project in our special slideshow feature.

Renzo Piano (above) also designed the 300 metre-high Shard tower, which is nearing completion in London. Read our interview with Piano about the design of this building. See all our stories about Renzo Piano.

See all our stories about skyscrapers »

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Skyscrapers in Seoul: Chicago architects Murphy/Jahn have designed two towers under one roof for the western side of South Korea's new commercial centre, the Yongsan International Business District of Seoul.

Containing mainly apartments, the 320-metre-high Pentominium skyscrapers will conceal sheltered gardens and balconies behind the lattices of glazing that make up their exterior walls.

Some of these courtyards will occupy four-storey-high voids in the floorplates, while more gardens will be located on the penthouse floor and on a bridge that connects the two buildings at its centre.

Staircase and elevator cores will be positioned in the north-east corners of each block, giving residents of each apartment a view towards the Han River in the south-west.

The firm was commissioned alongside fifteen other architects to design towers for the Yongsan International Business District, which was masterplanned by Daniel Libeskind and which is the biggest urban development project in South Korea. Due for completion in 2024, the masterplan was commissioned by South Korean developer DreamHub.

See more projects from the district here, including designs by BIG, MVRDV and Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.

The text below is from Murphy/Jahn:

The Yongsan International Business District will set a new standard for an integrated global city.

Situated on a high-profile site in the western side of the district, plot R5 houses a signature topend residential building, 320m in height, which will attract the most exclusive clientele from both Korea as well as the rest of the world. These Pentominium units will provide unsurpassed urban living experiences, with spatial and privacy features normally associated with individual houses.

In order to maximize window views and create a sense of exclusivity through minimizing the number of units per floor, two slender towers were chosen for the design. A simple square footprint provides the geometry basis for each tower floor. To take advantage of the desirable vistas to the southwest, the cores for the towers are shifted off center towards the northeast elevations. The resulting U-shaped usable areas can then be divided into one, two, three, or four units per floor, most with view access to the southwest.

Around each unit, the enclosure façade moves in and out from the square tower footprint to create customized bay windows, wintergardens, and enclosed balconies. An exterior screen of vertical and horizontal bars is located outboard of the balconies. The primary module of the screen is 5.0m tall by 3.0m wide to align with the façade geometry. In areas where increased privacy is preferred, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, additional vertical bars are added within the primary module.

In addition to becoming the signature design feature of the project, the exterior screen provides four distinct benefits:

1. Provides solar shading to the façade, reducing the cooling load of the building
2. Enhances privacy between towers
3. Creates a visual and structural framework in which balconies and interior room projections can be inserted.
4. Maintains an ordered, clean visual appearance in front of the shifting enclosure façade behind.

The façade layering of exterior bar screen, to balcony/terrace, to enclosure façade creates a three-dimensional space in lieu of the traditional two-dimensional façade. This zone breaks down the barrier between interior and exterior areas, helping to provide the experience of individual house living in a high-rise urban context.

At various heights in each tower, structural bays are carved out of the sides of the building enclosure to create four-story high skyparks. Each skypark will be developed to provide a distinct amenity experience for the Pentominium residents, from a place of meditation, to an exterior lounge, and a sporting/exercise zone. Open joint glass panels in the exterior screen here help to temper these spaces climatically, while still maintaining an exterior experience for the residents.

Amenity functions are located at a mid-height level of the towers. A platform with both interior and exterior areas connects the two towers here, allowing residents to have their own private garden and lounge area in the sky. At the top of the towers are private roof gardens for the ultraexclusive single floor unit super villas.

Officetel units, with circulation separate from the Pentominiums, are located in the bottom eight floors of the east tower, as well as an adjacent four-story podium building. Secure parking for the Pentominium units is located in the basements below, with direct elevator access to each floor as well as the retail concourses below grade.

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Skyscrapers in Seoul: this skyscraper with a pointy midriff is the second of two stories about buildings designed for the Yongsan International Business District in Seoul, South Korea, by architect Daniel Libeskind.

Harmony Tower will be located in the north-eastern corner of the new commercial district next to another skyscraper designed by architect Dominique Perrault and will contain offices on 38 of its 46 floors.

Sheltered gardens will line the southern and eastern facades, offering views out towards the nearby Han river.

The base of the building will also taper inwards to create a larger area of landscaping around the entrance.

See more stories about the Yongsan International Business District, including a slideshow of all the projects commissioned by developer DreamHub.

Here's some more information from Studio Daniel Libeskind:

Harmony Tower

Harmony Tower, a project that is part of the new Yongsan International Business district (YIBD)development in Seoul, is an iconic, 21st century sustainable office tower that is 46 floors.

The design for the tower is inspired by YunDeung, traditional Korean paper lanterns. The concept is to create a tower as a faceted lantern, whose multiple planes reflect the sky and the earth and capture the light on its differing angles, creating a glowing gateway and beacon in the YIBD site.

The sculpted tower is subtly shaped by the urban context. The tower tapers at its base to create a feeling of space and openness for the pedestrian plaza. The form then reaches out in the middle of the tower to maximize the floor plates and Han River views and to create a sense of scale marking the gateway from the western entrance to the site. The tower then tapers back and up to its top to allow the most light and air onto the other towers around, creating a strong ascending peak to the tower. The tower form creates multiple perspectives, like a sculpture in the round, with an ever changing public profile responding specifically to the site.

The tower contains unique vertical winter gardens on the south and west facades, providing users access to natural ventilation and planted park settings at each of the 38 office floors. The gardens not only act as a special amenity to all the tenants, but also a buffer to the direct sunlight hitting the glass building. The gardens function as open, park space within the building, but also help to reduce the heat gain and allow the building to function more sustainably. Harmony Tower is a state of the art workplace, interweaving themes of nature, sustainability, and efficiency in a faceted, sculptural form.

Location: Seoul, South Korea
Building size: 100,000 sq.m
Structure: Concrete central core and floor slabs with steel columns and mega bracing
Client: Dream Hub, AMC – Yongsan Development Co., Ltd.

Structural engineer: ARUP
Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing engineer: ARUP
Landscape architect: Martha Schwartz Partners
Lighting designer: Focus Lighting
Status: In design

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