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World-class architectural designers to build new Hyundai Motor headquarters

World-class architectural designers to build new Hyundai Motor headquarters

Posted January. 11, 2016 14:08,   

한국어

Companies that designed Google headquarters, which are drawing attention due to its unique look, and Amazon headquarters, and "Burj Khalifa," the world’s tallest building in the United Arab Emirates, are set to design Hyundai Motor Group’s headquarters (Global Business Center), which will be constructed at the former site of KEPCO headquarters in Seoul.

According to industry sources on Sunday, Hyundai Motor Group has picked Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) and NBBJ, which are world-class architectural design firms in the U.S. as the companies that will take charge of GBC’s design. SOM was responsible for design of "Burj Khalifa," the 163-story building standing 828 meters tall, while NBBJ designed "Bio Dome," Amazon’s headquarters building that looks like three huge balls placed side by side, and "Bay View Campus," Google’s headquarters building with asymmetric exterior design. SOM is set to design upper floors of "Global Tower," the 105-story headquarters buildings for the business group within GBC, while NBBJ will take charge of design of Global Tower’s lower levels, hotels and business buildings. The design work will be comprehensively supervised by architect Kim Jong-seong (81), a first-generation architect of modern architecture in Korea, who is the honorary head of SAC International Ltd.

Hyundai Motor Group picked the two firms through one-year review after conducting an informational session for overseas architects in December 2014. The decision reportedly reflects group chairman Chung Mong-koo’s intentions. Hyundai also singled out Dongyang Structural Engineers Group, and Chang Minwoo Structural Consultants as firms that will take charge of structural design.

Kim, who will comprehensively supervise the four design firms, is a disciple of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the German who is considered a grand master of modern architecture in the world. Kim designed, among others, Millennium Hilton Hotel in Namdaemun-ro, SK Group building in Jongno, and Seoul History Museum in Seoul. A source at Hyundai Motor Group said, “It will be an exemplary case in which a Korean architect will comprehensively oversee architectural design in an ultra large construction project.”

Hyundai Motor Group is engaged in last-minute negotiations with the Seoul metropolitan city government over the amount of money it will pay as public contributions and method of payment. Hyundai said in June last year that it will pay 1.7030 trillion won as public contributions. A source in the Seoul metropolitan government said, “Depending on Hyundai’s commitment, negotiations over public contributions could be concluded as early as this month.”



yhkang@donga.com