The Cloud is a set of two residential towers by MVRDV that will soon grace Seoul’s Yongstan District’s skyline. The project is part of the new Yongstan Dreamhub Project, the master plan developed by Studio Libeskind.
The Cloud sees MVRDV continue its exploration of vertical urbanism. It will be composed of 260- and 300-meter towers that coalesce to form a dramatic pixelated cloud. Positioned at the entrance of the new Yongstan Dreamhub, the towers will join forces with other architectural icons to extend Seoul’s business district in a bid to breathe new life into the city.
The North Tower will have 60 floors, while its counterpart, the South Tower, will have 54 floors. Midway in the development’s elevation design, MVRDV has positioned a pixelated 10-story floating podium that brings together shared programs for the residents of both towers.
This is the project’s star, with MVRDV trying to reinvent the characteristic solitary feel of today’s skyscraper. In this suspended cloud, we see the brilliance of the design team in its attempt to free the ground plane and create more space higher up the tower.
This intervention creates ample space for the landscaped gardens designed by Martha Schwartz at the street level while providing equal access to the more private but shared programs in the cloud.
Programmatically, the suspended cloud accommodates a large atrium with amenities like a sky lounge, wellness center, fitness studios, pools, restaurants, and cafes.
On top of the podium, an interplay of additive and subtractive transformations creates a series of public and private patios, gardens, pools, and viewing decks. Express elevators connecting residents on all tower floors facilitate access to these programs.
The development offers a variety of residential typologies. The ground floor has a grand lobby that is surrounded by townhouses. Moreover, typical apartments range between 80 and 260 sqm, with some offering double-volume interiors.
With the perfectly square towers, four corner apartments could be planned on each floor, thus maximizing views, daylight, and cross ventilation. The top floors of both towers have been reserved for exclusive 1 200 sqm penthouses that will be the epitome of apartment city living in the entire development. Apart from residential functions, 9,000 sqm has been set aside for office-hotel programs.
Soon after the release of the proposed project to the public, MVRDV came under fire from architecture critics who claimed that “The Cloud” had a striking resemblance to the 9/11 explosion caused by the terrorist attack of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Jan Kinkker, spokesman to MVRDV, said: “We’ve had many calls from angry Americans saying it’s a disgrace.
9/11 was not the inspiration behind the design; the inspiration was a real cloud. We did not intend to create an image resembling the attacks or see the resemblance during the design process. We sincerely apologize to anyone whose feelings we have hurt.”
Project Information
Architect: MVRDV
Location: Yongsan, Seoul, South Korea
Client: Dream Corporation
Architect-of-Record: SIAPLAN
Master Plan: Studio Libeskind
Structural: Arup
Landscape: Martha Schwartz Partners
Area: 128 000 sqm
Status: Under Construction
Photographs: Luxigon, MVRDV
