Digital Media City Landmark Building
Encyclopedia
The Digital Media City Landmark Building or DMC Landmark Building, also known as Seoul Lite or Light Tower, is a 133-floor
, 640 m (2,100 ft) supertall skyscraper
proposed for construction in Digital Media City
, Seoul
, South Korea
. It is slated to become the third-tallest building in the world when completed, after Burj Khalifa and Pingan International Finance Centre
. It will be the tallest building in Korea
. Construction broke ground on 16 October 2009, and is scheduled to be completed and ready for occupancy by April 2015. It will be built with the country's own capital and technology at an estimated cost of 3.3 trillion won
(US$
2.9 billion).
The design and engineering of the DMC Landmark Building is performed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The local architect of record is Samoo. The building will house an observation deck
on 133rd floor at 540 m (1,772 ft), from which visitors will be able to see the entire metropolis of Seoul and as far as Gaeseong, North Korea
. It will be the tallest observation deck in the world, higher than those of Burj Khalifa on the 124th floor at 440 m (1,444 ft) and the 100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center
at 474 m (1,555 ft). Six through eight-star
hotels will be located on the 108th-130th floors, surpassing the Park Hyatt Hotel
(79th-93rd floors) in the Shanghai World Financial Center, as the highest hotel rooms in the world.
All functions of a futuristic, 21st century city are incorporated into the building, including the most high-tech office and residential spaces, a department store
, luxury shopping mall
s, a large convention center
, the world's largest interactive aquarium
, international restaurants and facilities for media
, culture
and exhibitions.
The landmark building is backed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government
and is being constructed at the fastest speed among major skyscraper projects by South Korea's Samsung C&T, whose work includes Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101
and the Petronas Twin Towers
.
, Mapo-gu
, the landmark building is adjacent to the Seoul World Cup Stadium
used in 2002, when South Korea and Japan co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup
. It will be the highlight of the DMC project launched back in 2002, the world's first high-tech complex.
On 1 June 2004, the Seoul Metropolitan Government began inviting developers and interested parties to purchase and develop land (lot or lots) for the DMC Landmark Building.
In January 2008, the Seoul Metropolitan Government invited businesses to submit their proposals in an open competition in connection with the plans to build the landmark building.
In June 2008, the Seoul Landmark Consortium (comprising 23 businesses, such as The Korean Teachers' Credit Union, the Korea Development Bank, Hana Bank, the NACF, the Industrial Bank of Korea, Woori Bank, Daewoo and Daelim) was selected as the preferential bidder of the project.
On 30 March 2009, a ceremony was held at the Seoul Plaza Hotel during which Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon
and 23 businesses participating in the DMC Landmark Building project signed an agreement on cooperation. The basic plan for the DMC Landmark Building was unveiled at the ceremony.
On 16 August 2009, the DMC Landmark Building broke ground with the theme of "light leading the new millenium" and a LED laser performance. Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon, 25 business leaders and 1,000 related employees attended the event. The mayor opened the event by praising that the Digital Media City "will provide the world with an entire community to use as a living laboratory of tomorrow's lifestyle. It will be set in an area of riverside parkland encompassing ecological gardens, lakes, hills and streams - providing heartening evidence that 21st century urban man can co-habit with nature, to the mutual benefit of both."
Among major high-tech businesses, LG Electronics
has shown the greatest interest in the DMC Landmark Building and along with LG Telecom
and LG CNS
, they will move their respective headquarters to the new building upon its completion to form a new 'LG Town', similar to the Samsung Town recently built in south-east Seoul.
Politically, the project is expected to significantly boost the South Korean economy by creating 86,000 new jobs and injecting 11 trillion won in production inducement, as well as setting a new landmark icon for South Korea, improving its national image and attracting international tourists and foreign investors.
mountain, or a beacon mound on the mountain as a traditional measure of communications, to a flow of "light", which symbolizes a modern measure of communications, or the digital industry. The building's façade resembling a lighthouse is aimed at expressing a vision as a "light leading the new millennium."
The three main concepts of the DMC Landmark Building are Digital Media, Eco Design and Human Culture. For this reason, it was also called Seoul Lite before being officially named the Digital Media City Landmark Building.
The outward appearance of the building is to be made in a style reminiscent of the windows of traditional Korean houses. Its design specifies the installation of an exterior super skin containing 40,000 LED
panels that emit light of various colors.
The bamboo
-type structure of the building, with the heart section left empty, increases its resistance to bending three-fold, thus enhancing its structural stability against earthquake
s and vibration
due to wind.
The landmark building's green rooftop will bring about a heat insulation effect. The installation of automatic ventilation windows on the surface of the building will aid the supply of fresh air and save considerable energy. A mirror installed in the building will direct sunlight towards the lower floors. That, along with the use of geothermal heat and a photovoltaic generation system, using the side walls of the building, will make it possible to save considerable energy.
-based Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) to build the aquarium. Headquartered in Las Vegas
, ATM has 100 years of experience in building large-scale aquariums and already built the Dubai Atlantis Hotel
aquarium and the Seattle Underwater Dome
.
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
, 640 m (2,100 ft) supertall skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
proposed for construction in Digital Media City
Digital Media City
Digital Media City is the first high-tech complex in the world for digital technologies, housing ubiquitous networked offices, apartments, exhibitions, conference halls and cultural centers in Seoul, South Korea. It was constructed in 2002 across and approximately 1.7 times the size of the Canary...
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. It is slated to become the third-tallest building in the world when completed, after Burj Khalifa and Pingan International Finance Centre
Pingan International Finance Centre
The Pingan International Finance Center is a 115-storey supertall skyscraper that is under construction in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China. The tower was commissioned by Ping An Insurance, and designed by the American architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox...
. It will be the tallest building in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. Construction broke ground on 16 October 2009, and is scheduled to be completed and ready for occupancy by April 2015. It will be built with the country's own capital and technology at an estimated cost of 3.3 trillion won
South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
(US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2.9 billion).
The design and engineering of the DMC Landmark Building is performed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The local architect of record is Samoo. The building will house an observation deck
Observation deck
__FORCETOC__ An observation deck, observation platform or viewing platform is an elevated sightseeing platform usually situated upon a tall architectural structure such as a skyscraper or observation tower...
on 133rd floor at 540 m (1,772 ft), from which visitors will be able to see the entire metropolis of Seoul and as far as Gaeseong, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. It will be the tallest observation deck in the world, higher than those of Burj Khalifa on the 124th floor at 440 m (1,444 ft) and the 100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center
Shanghai World Financial Center
The most distinctive feature in the design of the building is an aperture at the peak. The original design specified a circular aperture, in diameter, to reduce the stresses of wind pressure, as well as serve as a subtext for the design, since "Chinese mythology represents the earth with a square...
at 474 m (1,555 ft). Six through eight-star
Star (classification)
Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes. They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. For example, one to five stars is commonly employed to categorize hotels.-Restaurant ratings:...
hotels will be located on the 108th-130th floors, surpassing the Park Hyatt Hotel
Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
(79th-93rd floors) in the Shanghai World Financial Center, as the highest hotel rooms in the world.
All functions of a futuristic, 21st century city are incorporated into the building, including the most high-tech office and residential spaces, a department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
, luxury shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s, a large convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
, the world's largest interactive aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
, international restaurants and facilities for media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and exhibitions.
The landmark building is backed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government is the administrative organization of Seoul. The mayor is elected to a four year term by the Seoul citizens and is responsible for the administration of the city government...
and is being constructed at the fastest speed among major skyscraper projects by South Korea's Samsung C&T, whose work includes Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 , formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010...
and the Petronas Twin Towers
Petronas Twin Towers
The Petronas Towers are skyscrapers and twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
.
Masterplan
The landmark building's masterplan was completed in 2000, at the start of the new millennium. It was designed to be the centerpiece of where all things digital, from music to animation to computing companies, are accommodated. Located at western Seoul in Sangam-dongSangam-dong
Sangam-dong is a legal dong, neighbourhood of the Mapo-gu district in Seoul, South Korea.-Attractions:*Nanjido *Worldcup Park **Millennium Park **Sky Park **Pyeonghwa Park **Noeul Park...
, Mapo-gu
Mapo-gu
Mapo-gu is a gu, or district, within Seoul, South Korea. It lies northwest of the Han River. Several universities and government buildings are located here. Mapo is especially well-known for the Hongdae club district around Hongik University. Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1, Line 5, and Line 6...
, the landmark building is adjacent to the Seoul World Cup Stadium
Seoul World Cup Stadium
The Seoul World Cup Stadium, also known as Sangam Stadium, is located in Seongsan, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and opened in 2001. It was designed to represent the image of a traditional Korean kite...
used in 2002, when South Korea and Japan co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
. It will be the highlight of the DMC project launched back in 2002, the world's first high-tech complex.
On 1 June 2004, the Seoul Metropolitan Government began inviting developers and interested parties to purchase and develop land (lot or lots) for the DMC Landmark Building.
In January 2008, the Seoul Metropolitan Government invited businesses to submit their proposals in an open competition in connection with the plans to build the landmark building.
In June 2008, the Seoul Landmark Consortium (comprising 23 businesses, such as The Korean Teachers' Credit Union, the Korea Development Bank, Hana Bank, the NACF, the Industrial Bank of Korea, Woori Bank, Daewoo and Daelim) was selected as the preferential bidder of the project.
On 30 March 2009, a ceremony was held at the Seoul Plaza Hotel during which Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon
Oh Se-hoon
Oh Se-hoon was the Mayor of Seoul between 2006 and August 26, 2011. On June 3, 2010, Oh was reelected as the Mayor of Seoul but resigned after losing a referendum on the Seoul Free Lunch Referendum.. Oh is a member of the Grand National Party.-Personal history:Oh was born in Seongdong-gu...
and 23 businesses participating in the DMC Landmark Building project signed an agreement on cooperation. The basic plan for the DMC Landmark Building was unveiled at the ceremony.
On 16 August 2009, the DMC Landmark Building broke ground with the theme of "light leading the new millenium" and a LED laser performance. Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon, 25 business leaders and 1,000 related employees attended the event. The mayor opened the event by praising that the Digital Media City "will provide the world with an entire community to use as a living laboratory of tomorrow's lifestyle. It will be set in an area of riverside parkland encompassing ecological gardens, lakes, hills and streams - providing heartening evidence that 21st century urban man can co-habit with nature, to the mutual benefit of both."
Among major high-tech businesses, LG Electronics
LG Electronics
LG Electronics is a global electronics and telecommunications company headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea. The company operates its business through five divisions: mobile communications, home entertainment, home appliance, air conditioning and business solution...
has shown the greatest interest in the DMC Landmark Building and along with LG Telecom
LG Telecom
LG U+ is a South Korean telecommunications and Mobile phone operator controlled by the LG Group, one of the country's largest chaebol. It was formerly known as LG Telecom....
and LG CNS
LG CNS
LG CNS is a subsidiary of the LG Group founded in 1987 that provides information technology services including consulting, System Integration, Network Integration, Business Process Outsourcing, and Information Technology Outsourcing. Originally, LG CNS only focused on computer engineering such as...
, they will move their respective headquarters to the new building upon its completion to form a new 'LG Town', similar to the Samsung Town recently built in south-east Seoul.
Politically, the project is expected to significantly boost the South Korean economy by creating 86,000 new jobs and injecting 11 trillion won in production inducement, as well as setting a new landmark icon for South Korea, improving its national image and attracting international tourists and foreign investors.
Architecture
Originally designed to be angular twin towers to rise as high as 690 m (2,264 ft), the final design has changed substantially to a rounder, more curve-based design featuring the concept of "Seoul Wave", which represents Seoul's status as a city of history, globalization, culture and environment. It also transforms the historic meaning and image of the Smoke-Signal Station on NamsanNamsan (Seoul)
Namsan is a 262-meter peak in the Jung-gu district of south central Seoul, South Korea. Although known as Mount Mongmyeok, or 목멱산, in the past, it is now commonly referred to as Namsan. It offers some hiking, recreation and views of downtown Seoul's skyline...
mountain, or a beacon mound on the mountain as a traditional measure of communications, to a flow of "light", which symbolizes a modern measure of communications, or the digital industry. The building's façade resembling a lighthouse is aimed at expressing a vision as a "light leading the new millennium."
The three main concepts of the DMC Landmark Building are Digital Media, Eco Design and Human Culture. For this reason, it was also called Seoul Lite before being officially named the Digital Media City Landmark Building.
The outward appearance of the building is to be made in a style reminiscent of the windows of traditional Korean houses. Its design specifies the installation of an exterior super skin containing 40,000 LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
panels that emit light of various colors.
The bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
-type structure of the building, with the heart section left empty, increases its resistance to bending three-fold, thus enhancing its structural stability against earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s and vibration
Vibration
Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...
due to wind.
The landmark building's green rooftop will bring about a heat insulation effect. The installation of automatic ventilation windows on the surface of the building will aid the supply of fresh air and save considerable energy. A mirror installed in the building will direct sunlight towards the lower floors. That, along with the use of geothermal heat and a photovoltaic generation system, using the side walls of the building, will make it possible to save considerable energy.
Floor plans
The following is a breakdown of floors on the Digital Media City Landmark Building:| Floors | Use |
|---|---|
| 132-133 | Observatory, Media Art Center |
| 131 | Broadcasting facility, Open studio |
| 128-130 | Concert restaurant |
| 108-130 | Luxury six to eight-star hotels |
| 85-107 | Family and business hotels |
| 46-84 | First-class apartments |
| 9-45 | High-tech offices of IT, media, communication and financial businesses |
| 7-8 | Large convention centers |
| 1-7 | Department stores, shopping malls and a clinic center |
| B6-1 | World's largest interactive aquarium, Digital Media Hall |
Interactive aquarium
At 10000 m² (107,639.1 sq ft), the interactive aquarium inside the DMC Landmark Building will be the largest of its kind. Unlike conventional aquariums, it will be fully interactive and paired with the latest high-tech technologies, allowing visitors to fully interact with it. It is the first foreign direct investment into the DMC Landmark Building, with approximately a billion dollar invested over the next 5 years. On 1 July 2009, the mayor of Seoul signed an investment agreement with United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) to build the aquarium. Headquartered in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, ATM has 100 years of experience in building large-scale aquariums and already built the Dubai Atlantis Hotel
Atlantis, The Palm
Atlantis, the Palm is a hotel resort at Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is a joint venture between Kerzner International Limited and Istithmar PSJC and was opened on 24 September 2008. The resort is modelled after the Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in Nassau, Bahamas...
aquarium and the Seattle Underwater Dome
Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is a public aquarium opened in 1977 and located on Pier 59 on the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums .-History:...
.
External links
- Sangam DMC Landmark Tower on Emporis
- Digital Media City Project Page on SOM.com