• Arup plays key role delivering the massive Yongsan International Business District development in Seoul, South Korea
• Dreamhub’s development creates 3.4 million m2 of space, including the 620m high centrepiece Landmark Tower
• Arup’s Shanghai and Hong Kong offices collaborate with the Dutch architects MVRDV on the design of Block R4a, the twin residential towers with a pixelated habitable cloud
Arup is on course to deliver eight of the iconic buildings being developed for the Yongsan International Business District (IBD) in Seoul, South Korea, including the 620m high centrepiece Landmark Tower designed with Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and the innovative twin high rise towers featured with a habitable cloud developed by Arup’s Hong Kong and Shanghai offices in collaboration with MVRDV. Arup was instrumental in developing the initial IBD masterplan for the 3.4 million m2 scheme in conjunction with Studio Daniel Libeskind in the initial phase of the programme for the developer, Dreamhub.
Since then, the firm has worked with the client and many of the world’s greatest architects on the design of eight of the 20 iconic buildings included in the development.
This includes the creatively charged collaboration between MVRDV and Arup’s Shanghai and Hong Kong offices. MVRDV is a young and dynamic architectural practice based in Rotterdam known for their adventurous and complicated geometry in building designs. Also known as Block R4a, the twin residential high rise towers are linked with a mid-height seven-storey pixelated habitable structure endeared as the cloud.
Arup Director, Michael Kwok, said, “Much work has been ongoing with the other Arup offices working on this development to ensure that we are aligned when it comes to recommending options and understanding regulations. A tailor-made workshop was held to review each of the projects with the designers and experts from regional practices and skills, to ensure that our work was consistent and of high quality.”
On completion, Yongsan will incorporate a series of 20 cutting edge buildings from a selection of the world’s most prestigious architects, including Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, Asymptote Architecture Group, Studio Daniel Libeskind, Riken Yamamoto & Field Shop, Bjarke Ingels Group and MVRDV.
“The Dreamhub Consortium has huge ambitions for this development at the heart of Seoul and this is very much reflected in the scale and stature of the buildings we are working on at Arup. We’ve been supporting the client on this project for some time now and it is very exciting to see it come to fruition on the Landmark Tower and the other truly amazing designs,” said Alistair Guthrie, Arup Director.
Arup’s involvement in Yongsan covers a host of disciplines, from planning, transportation and sustainability of the masterplan to advising on the structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing of the buildings, as well as the acoustics, lighting and facade engineering.
Arup’s diverse role in the project has involved coordinating design and engineering teams across the firm from Seoul, London, New York, Dublin, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The first significant buildings in the development are scheduled for completion in 2016.
For further information contact
Jenny Ho
Tel: +852 2268 3488
Email: jenny.ho@arup.com
Jerman Cheung
Tel: +852 3447 6159
Email: jerman.cheung@arup.com
Notes to Editors
1. Dreamhub is a development consortium comprising some 30 companies, including Korea Rail and Samsung (www.dreamhub21.com).
2. The developer undertook a major architectural competition in 2008 to inspire design of the Yongsan International Business District. Among those competing were Asymptote, Daniel Libeskind, Foster and Partners, Jerde and Skidmore Owings Merrill.
3. The Yongsan business and cultural hub on the banks of the Han River represents one of the largest urban developments taking place around the globe.
4. Arup’s multi-disciplinary approach to design has added significant value to the project, bringing together some of our most qualified staff from offices spanning Seoul, London, New York, Dublin, Tokyo and Shanghai.
About Arup
Arup is the creative force at the heart of many of the world’s most prominent projects in the built environment and across industry. From 90 offices in 35 countries our 10,000 planners, designers, engineers and consultants deliver innovative projects across the world with creativity and passion.
Founded in 1946 with an enduring set of values, our unique trust ownership fosters a distinctive culture and an intellectual independence that encourages collaborative working. This is reflected in everything we do, allowing us to develop meaningful ideas, help shape agendas and deliver results that frequently surpass the expectations of our clients.
The people at Arup are driven to find a better way and to deliver better solutions for our clients.
We shape a better world.
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