Seoul, South Korea
At 555 m. / 1,819 ft., Lotte World Tower is the tallest building in Seoul, the capital of South Korea and a city of 10.35 million, and the fifth-tallest skyscraper in the world. It rises unchallenged in an area of mid-rise housing, shopping, and Disney-like amusement parks, distant from the historic city center. The 123-story tower contains a mixed-use program of shops, offices, “office-tel” (spaces for living and working), and a luxury hotel. The top seven floors are devoted to observation decks, entertainment, and restaurants.
Designed by KPF, Lotte Super Tower is a sleek, tapered form with a vertical seam that splays at the top, which in its simplicity and materials draws on the history of Korean ceramics, porcelain, and calligraphy. The façade is a screen of light silver glass and white lacquered metal. Sustainability features include photo-voltaic panels, wind turbines, external shading devices, and water harvesting systems.