International update

Undulating roof showcases skylights. Curved glulam timbers form the base for the roof of skylight manufacturer Velux Group's new sales office in Northhamptonshire, U.K., which is sloped to "display" the skylights. The glulam beams span 51 feet across and up to the apex 39 feet high. Together with the purlins, the beams define the shape of the building.

Designed by White Design, U.K., the three-story facility has two roofs: a south-facing, concave roof with slate tiles and a north-facing, convex roof clad in cedar shingles.

London tower targets European record. London's Borough of Southwark has approved plans to construct the 1,016-ft.-tall London Bridge Tower, which would become Europe's tallest building, just south of Thames River. Designed by Renzo Piano, Genoa, Italy, the 66-story tower, if built, will surpass the 981-ft.-tall Commerzbank AG Tower in Frankfurt. It will also dwarf London's current tallest: the 600-ft.-tall International Finance Centre. Scheduled for completion in 2007, the $855 million complex will incorporate offices, retail shops, residential units and a hotel.

Seoul trains its sights on music center. A 2,000-seat opera house and a 1,500-seat concert hall are part of a 600,000-sq.-ft. cultural center for the City of Ilsan, outside of Seoul, South Korea. Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, New York City, has been selected as design architect for the design/build project, led by local contractor Samsung Construction. Scheduled for completion in 2005, the project also includes a performance hall, library and community sports center.