Archipelago 21, Studio Libeskind’s masterplan for the redevelopment of the Yongsan International Business District, dramatically re-envisions the landscape of Seoul, South Korea’s historic capital city.  Incorporating more than 30 million square feet of built area in a large urban park along the Han River, the sustainable plan was conceived to include an international business district, residential neighborhoods, cultural institutions, educational facilities, retail, and transportation. The Studio approached the plan from a human perspective, designing the project from the ground up. The site is organized like an archipelago, broken into distinct neighborhoods called “islands” connected internally by using a retail valley,…

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…