Harmony Tower

Seoul, South Korea

Description

The Harmony Tower design concept is for a 46-story, sustainable office high-rise in the Yongsan International Business District (YIBD) redevelopment, in which Studio Libeskind did a masterplan.

Inspired by traditional Korean paper lanterns, the façade is faceted with multiple planes that reflect the sky and earth and capture light from its differing angles. Three-story vertical winter gardens on the south and west façades provide users with access to natural ventilation and planted gardens at each of the 38 office floors. The gardens offer cozy, intimate environments, as well as spacious, transparent spaces. The gardens not only act as open, park space within the building for the tenants but also as a buffer to reduce heat gain and allow the building to function more sustainably.

The tapering of the base helps transition the tower to the pedestrian plaza.  It expands in the middle to maximize square footage and views to the Han River and tapers again at the top to allow maximum light for neighboring buildings.