Seoul Skyscraper Series: The Dancing Dragons
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Photo Credit: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture website
The dragon. A symbol of fiery chaos in the West and a symbol of strength, wisdom and royalty in the East. In Korea, being born in the year of the dragon means a child will be healthy and strong. Dreaming of a dragon means that something good will happen soon.
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These beliefs may seem old-fashioned to some, but the architectural firm Adrian + Gordon Gill picked up on the continued popularity of this archetype when it designed two dragon-inspired towers slated for construction in the new Yongsan International Business District in Seoul.
The twin Dancing Dragons aren't meant to be literal depictions of dragons but the inspiration is unmistakable in their design. The towers are covered top-to-bottom in diamond-shaped glass panels that overlap like the scales of a dragon.
A central spine runs the length of both buildings and notches cut into the sides give them a the illusion of movement. The varied height of the towers (the taller is 450 meters, it's twin is 390 meters) enhances the feeling that they are dancing.
Photo Credit: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture website
Yongsan is the ideal location for two buildings imbued with the spirits of dragons. Yong (용 / 龍) is the Korean word for dragon and san (산 / 山) means mountain or hill. These buildings are literally built on Dragon Hill (용산 / 龍山).
Beyond their fiery looks, these buildings are filled with cool eco-friendly features like rooftop photovoltaic panels and highly transparent glass interiors that help maximize natural sunlight and reduce the need for artificial lighting. I am so excited to see these buildings once they're complete because they are contemporary but incorporate a hint of Korean traditional culture!
Photo Credit: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture website
About the author by Sophie Choi
Born in Korea and raised on three different continents, I have always been enthusiastic to share the uniqueness of Korean culture and design. On top of that, the advanced level of Korean technology makes me proud to call myself Korean and motivates me to spread technology related news to more people around the world. The list of things I like (and like to do) is endless: Shopping, Gummy jellies, Lilies... and it goes on
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