Living Peaks

Living Peaks is Strawn.Sierralta’s design for a 450 meter high observation and entertainment tower for Cheongna, Incheon, South Korea. Living Peaks, the world’s tallest vertical urban farm, can harvest over 2.5 mega-watts of renewable energy through its building integrated photovoltaic skin and bird-friendly, vertical axis, wind turbines. The tower also filters the city’s river water as its eight legs grow organic, hydroponic fruits and vegetables.

Concept Statement:

"This 450 meter observation and entertainment tower grows from its environment. Cheongna faces the sea, lies between two rivers and sits at the intersection of the eight major mountains of Incheon. The site is organized by three systems: a programmed mountain range that stretches from Shimgok River to Gongchon River, a boardwalk that connects the plaza under the tower to all sides of the park and a string of islands. There are eight stops along the journey to the top of the tower, each corresponding to one of the mountain peaks."

Cheongna Facts

Incheon is South Korea's third largest metropolis, after Seoul and Busan. As the largest seaport on the west coast and home to the country's largest airport, Incheon International Airport, Incheon is South Korea's most important transport hub. Incheon borders the Seoul metropolitan area and the areas are linked by the the Seoul Metropolitan Subway and the Incheon Subway systems.

The IFEZ (Incheon Free Economic Zone) consists of the three regions of Songdo, Cheongna, and the island of Yeongjong. Created by the government, the IFEZ is meant “to create a favorable business and living environment where foreign nationals can live and invest freely and conveniently”. The Supertall Entertainment Skyscraper sits at the gateway to the region and is intended to act as a landmark for visitors, as well as, an entertainment and leisure center for the community to utilize year-round.

Project Storyboard

Cheongna is surrounded by nature. The city faces the sea, lies between two rivers and sits at the intersection of the eight major mountains of Incheon. The city is rooted in the heritage of the region and a super-tall green tower grows in its center. The eight surrounding mountain peaks come together and form a branching object. The tower is growing from its environment. There are eight stops along the journey to the top of the tower, each corresponding to one of the mountain peaks. At these stops, a transplanted tree from each of the mountains is planted. Drawn from its geological context, the tower reaches up and becomes a window to the world.

Supertall / Superfarm

The Farm Zone is located in the eight legs that support the tower. Seven of the legs are vertical hydroponic farms that act as part of the towers water filtration system and serve to clean the air ,as well as, work as a viable green business. The eighth leg, with the largest diameter, contains the tower’s lift system, emergency stair, systems core and acts as the structural support for a wind farm.

The Forest Zone is located in the center portion of the tower. It contains a hiking path that encircles a suspended forest, the world’s highest rock climbing wall, a ropes course, a butterfly garden and the world’s only campground 315 meters above the earth. The forest zone is meant to reconnect the visitor with the surrounding environment while providing them with an opportunity for a relaxing hike through a floating landscape.

The City Zone is the uppermost portion of the tower. It contains a multi-level restaurant, bar, wedding chapel, special events floors and both an indoor and outdoor viewing platforms at the very top of the tower. This area of the tower provides spectacular views of the region while providing spaces for resting and relaxation.

Site Plan

Living Peaks hovers over a range of mountains and islands that conceal programmatic elements while connecting them with underground parking and vertical distribution. The programmatic elements include: a water park / spa, a retail center, an indoor kid’s park, a concert venue, the tower entry pavilion, a water bio-filtration center, an outdoor performance lawn, a sunken plaza, a food court, and a theme village. All programmatic elements are tied together by a boardwalk system that converges in a central plaza directly below the tower. The eight legs of the tower touch every element of program and organize the site.

Site Plan Key 1. City Tower / 2. Lobby / 3. Retail / 4. Kids Park / 5. Aqua Park and Spa / 6.Village Park / 7. Sunken Garden and Ice Skating / 8. Cable Car Station / 9. Parking / 10. Plaza 11. Food Court / 12. Concert Venue / 13. Performance Lawn / 14. Urban Plaza / 15. Water Bio-Filtration Center / 16. Mountain Park / 17. Bridges / 18. Kayak Dock / 19. Boardwalk

Project Data

The Big Issue:  

How can a city, built from scratch in an area known for its natural beauty and pristine environment, celebrate its heritage and context with a super-tall entertainment tower?

Project Description:  

A speculative proposal for a 450-meter tall entertainment tower intended to be the landmark of Cheongna in Incheon IFEZ.

Concept:  

A branching structure that traces back to the eight mountain ranges that surround it.

Year:  

2008

Location:  

Cheongna, Incheon, South Korea

Client/Sponsor:  

Korea Land Corporation

Site:  

Central Lake Park between the Shimgok River and the Gongchon River

Environmental Strategies: 

The eight legs of the tower filter the river’s water through the world’s largest vertical farm. The tower produces 2.5 mega-watts of power from its façade, covered with building-integrated photovoltaics; and from bird-friendly vertical axis wind turbines.

Program:  

City Tower: observation decks, restaurant, bar, bungee jumping, high-rise camping, sky walk, butterfly garden, rock climbing, wedding chapel /banquet hall and vertical farm. Lake Park: children’s theme park, sunken plaza, food court, retail center, indoor kid’s park, water bio-filtration center, concert venue, amphitheater, kayak marina, water filtration islands, water park, spa, public greenhouses and boardwalk.

Scale:  

110,425 meters/sq, 450 meters tall

Budget:  

N/A

Team:  

Architecture: Karla Sierralta, Brian Strawn / Structural Engineering: Louis Shell Structures / 3D Visualization: Diego Sierralta

News

Living Peaks was published in the book:

 International Idea Competition for Cheongna City Tower Design in Incheon Korea.