SOM recently unveiled the design for the Digital Media City Landmark Tower in Seoul, Korea. The 2,100 foot (640m) tall tower will be the tallest tower in East Asia when completed in 2014.
The iconic building is located in the north of the Han River, which crosses the city, and will dominate the skyline becoming a important icon for Seoul… which is what you will expect if you commission a tower this tall.
The tower is shaped through gently curving forms and smooth transitions between the main north-south and east-west facades. Perimeter mega-columns reinforce the expression of the transforming mass and provide a natural break to a series of solar louvers. On the east and western facades a pattern of both horizontal and vertical fins shield from early and late day sun; while on the southern face horizontal shades shield from high afternoon sun. Together with a soaring crown which collects and channels light and helps power the building through wind turbines the architectural expression of the tower reinforces the sustainability strategies at the core of this design.
By taking advantage of naturally occurring events such as stack effect and solar radiation gain, DMC Tower is able to generate its own power and therefore reduce municipal energy consumption to a fraction of traditional levels. “We anticipate that our power generation strategies may reduce the building’s energy use by about 65%,” says Abadan. At the core of SOM’s scheme is an integrated sustainability strategy that uses the natural physics of tall buildings in order to generate power.
Through the use of the stack effect and wind turbines located at the top of the building, SOM is generating almost 3% of the building’s energy consumption. High efficiency solar photovoltaic panels maximize solar energy and provide additional shade where needed most, thereby reducing internal cooling loads. Radiant cooling through chilled beams, radiant floor heating and drawing tempered air through green atriums adds further efficiency. Additionally, atrium gardens and open air green spaces throughout the building act as natural air filters for the building’s inhabitants.
