The Rise Of Asia

A record-breaking 53 skyscrapers over 200 metres high were completed in Asia in 2013, accounting for three-quarters of the year's tallest new buildings, according to the latest industry report.

The annual review from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat reveals that 74 percent of worldwide skyscraper completions in 2013 were in Asian countries - a 19 percent increase on 2012 - and that the region now contains 45 percent of the tallest buildings in the world.

China accounts for the majority of this total, with 37 skyscrapers of over 200 metres spread across 22 different cities, including the lesser-known locations of Hefei and Xiamen that before this year had never contained buildings of this scale.

South Korea also plays a large role in the statistics with nine 200-metre-plus buildings completed in the last year, eight of which are located within a single complex in the growing city of Goyang.

The overall findings of the report were that worldwide skyscraper construction is back on the rise, in spite of a stall in 2012 that saw the total number of tall buildings fail to increase for the first time in six years, and that 2013 was the second-most successful year ever for skyscraper construction with a total of 73 buildings over 200 metres.

"By all appearances, the small increase in the total number of tall-building completions from 2012 into 2013 is indicative of a return to the prevalent trend of increasing completions each year over the past decade," it reads.

"From 2000 to 2013, the total number of 200-metre-plus buildings in existence increased from 261 to 830 - an astounding 318 percent. From this point of view, we can more confidently estimate that the slight slowdown of 2012 - which recorded 69 completions after 2011's record 81 - was a 'blip', and that 2013 was more representative of the general upward trend."

The tallest building of the year was the 355-metre JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Tower 2 completed in Dubai, the city that now also houses the world's tallest twisted skyscraper, the 307-metre Cayan Tower.

Only one of the 73 buildings over 200 metres was located in north America, while four were in Europe, including Renzo Piano's The Shard in London and the Mercury City tower in Moscow. None were recorded in Australia, Canada or Saudi Arabia, although construction did begin on the proposed 1000-metre Kingdom Tower in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.

Source: Dezeen

Millennium Tower Business Center

 

Archipelago 21 Seoul

The masterplan of Archipelago 21 was carried out Studio Daniel Libeskind for the redevelopment of Yongsan International Business District. This project will transform the landscape of the historic Seoul along the Han River.

The entire site is broken into separate distinct 'islands' which gives its archipelago name. Several renowned architects also participated in the design of the various towers around the site.

 

New Concept In High Rise Living

New York based architecture firm of Asymptote Architecture has challenged our imagination by their latest work of Velo Towers in Yongsan International Business District (YIBD), Seoul, South Korea. 

Volumes of residential modules are staked, rotated and interconnected to break down the scale and massing of the buildings. The oval shaped volumes are turned and positioned to capture views of the adjacent Yongsan Park overlooking the distant Han River. Roof gardens and communal amenities and located around light-filled atrium spaces evenly distributed across every six to eight storey residential communities. There is also a sky bridge 30 storey above the podium level that function as the main gathering and socializing space in the sky.

Asymptote Architecture also incorporates latest technology in automotive, aerospace and marine industries in the fabrication of building forms for their Velo Towers. 

Seoul's Upcoming Futuristic Skyscraper

Designed by international architecture firm of Kohn Pedersen Fox, Block H at Seoul's Yongsan International Business District (YIBD) resembles a futuristic building that you would see in science fiction movies like Star Wars and Blade Runner. At a height of 385 meters containing a 5 star hotel and high end residences; the tower is slated for completion in 2016. The master plan of Yongsan International Business District is by the renowned architect Daniel Libeskind.

Vision Of Future Cities

As high rise living has become part of the everyday lives of most Asian cities, creative and yet practical ideas need to be found to solve the over crowded population. The image above is a vision of future cities in South Korea.

Daishin Securities Headquarters

When everyone is going the direction of irregular and organic forms thanks to the works of Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid, this particular office building proves that there is still a lot that can be done with rectilinear forms. With order and pure rectangular forms, we can still express architecture in a futuristic and pristine way that moves people's imagination. Not only is this building beautiful, it is no doubt much more cost effective compares to buildings by Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid.

Lotte World Tower

Architect: KPF

Location: Seol, South Korea

Height: 555 meters

Digital Media City

Digital Media City designed by SOM, located in north of the Han River, Seol, Korea. When completed in 2014, it will be the tallest tower in East Asia with a height of 640m.

The elegant curve that rises up from ground all the way to the top gives the tower its distinctive form. It loudly announces its arrival to this city that is already overcrowded with skyscrapers. This will be the trend of future tall buildings around the world where form takes precedent over function. The modernist's ideology of Form Follows Function will gradually be overtaken by big corporations' aspiration to stand taller above everybody else. It is a matter of ego overpowers practicality and this will be an inevitable phenomenon for many years to come.