Project Brief

Archipelago21, a major redevelopment for the Yongsan International Business District of Seoul, South Korea dramatically reinvents the landscape of Korea’s historic capital city. This sustainable urban development is made up of over 30 million square feet of built area and will include a new international business district, world-class shopping, residential neighborhoods, cultural institutions, educational facilities and transportation, all sited in a large urban park along the Han River.

The site is broken into “islands” — distinct forms that together, like an archipelago, create a composition in the landscape. Outside the islands, the site is developed into a generous natural landscape which acts as the “sea” connecting the islands together. The islands become distinct neighborhoods with their own unique program area, character, community and atmosphere. Although they are distinct and human scaled, together the islands create a diverse and vibrant city life. These island neighborhoods break down the overall density and mass of the large urban development.