People will notice a big gold splotch when they are flying into Seoul.
The Dutch architecture firm MVRDV designed Paradise City, an entertainment district in the South Korean capital. Comprising two buildings with a plaza in between, the main entrance is colored with a giant golden circle. The firm says the spot will mark the entrance like a sunbeam and will even be visible to airplanes landing at and departing from the nearby Incheon Airport.
The 9,800-sm complex consists of two concrete buildings. The curved 3,600-sm Sandbox will be a retail center that connects to a new casino. Partygoers will flock to the rectangular, 6,200-sm Nightclub, which also has a water club and sky-garden on the upper floor.
The windowless buildings will welcome guests with glass entrances worked into the curtain-like façade.
“The buildings are opened by lifting them like a curtain, unravelling their interior,” MVRDV Co-founder Winy Maas said in a statement.
Construction will begin later this year and finish in 2018, in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
MVRDV worked with Gansam Architects, who designed the wider masterplan that includes a boutique hotel, food-court, spa, galleries, and convention facilities.
Rendering: MVRDV. Click to enlarge.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, Arup, AECOM top BD+C's ranking of the nation's 75 largest international design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 International Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture Billings Index flat in May, according to AIA
After a slight decline in April, the Architecture Billings Index was up a tenth of a point to 42.9 in May. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction employment declined in 333 of 352 metro areas in June
Construction employment declined in all but 19 communities nationwide this June as compared to June-2008, according to a new analysis of metropolitan-area employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The analysis shows that few places in America have been spared the widespread downturn in construction employment over the past year.
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, Hensel Phelps among the nation's 50 largest design-build contractors
A ranking of the Top 50 Design-Build Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Arup, SOM top BD+C's ranking of the country's largest mixed-use design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Mixed-Use Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Structure Tone, Turner among the nation's busiest reconstruction contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 75 Reconstruction Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
