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'9/11'-evoking design causes stir |
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The architect’s drawing of a skyscraper to be built at Yongsan International Business District, central Seoul. The design has been criticized for a resemblance of the New York World Trade Center’s exploding in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack. / Yonhap |
By Kim Rahn
The design of a skyscraper to be built in central Seoul is drawing international media backlash due to the alleged similarity to the New York World Trade Center (WTC) towers exploding on Sept. 11, 2001.
Not only those who lost their beloved ones in the terrorist attack in 2001 but also others are denouncing the design which a Dutch architectural firm recently disclosed for luxury residential towers at Yongsan International Business District, according to New York Daily News and other international dailies.
But the firm, MVRDV, said it neither noticed the resemblance, nor intended it.
According to the blueprint, a 300-meter-high apartment building and another 260-meter-high one are connected in the middle by a passage named a “pixelated cloud.”
The cloud-shaped passage was designed to accommodate sky lounges, restaurants and other community facilities such as swimming pools and fitness centers. The district developer plans to decide the final design plans by March.
But critics claim the “cloud” resembles the shower of debris that erupted from the WTC twin towers after the plane strikes.
“I think it’s a total lie and they have no respect for the people who died that day. They’re crossing a line. It looks like the towers imploding. I think they’re trying to sensationalize it. It’s a cheap way to get publicity,” Jim Riches, a former New York City Fire Department (FDNY) deputy chief who lost his son in the terrorist attack, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Regarding the row, MBRDV expressed regret on its website over any connotation the design evokes. “It was not our intention to create an image resembling the attacks nor did we see the resemblance during the design process. We sincerely apologize to anyone whose feelings we have hurt, it was not our intention,” the firm said.
But the company didn’t indicate whether it will change the design.
The New York newspaper pointed out the irony that Daniel Libeskind, who is leading the master plan of the business district design, also created the master plan of the rebuilt WTC.
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‘용산 랜드마크 빌딩, 9.11당시 WTC 연상시켜’
서울 용산국제업무지구에 들어설 주상복합아파트의 디자인이 9.11테러 직후의 세계무역센터(WTI) 건물을 연상시켜 논란이 일고 있다고 뉴욕데일리뉴스가 10일(현지시간) 보도했다.
네덜란드 설계회사인 MVRDV는 최근 용산국제업무지구에 조성할 23개 초고층 빌딩에 대한 '기획설계 결과 보고회'에서 60층(300ｍ)과 54층(260ｍ) 빌딩 2개를 하나로 연결하는 '클라우드 디자인' 방식의 주상복합아파트 2개동의 설계도를 공개했다.
설계도에서 고층빌딩 2개동은 중간 지점에서 `화소(畵素)처리된 구름'(pixelated cloud) 모습을 한 통로에 의해 연결되는데, 이것이 9.11테러 직후 먼지와 건물 부스러기를 쏟아내던 WTC 건물을 연상시킨다는 게 이번 논란의 핵심이다.
MBRDV는 9일 웹사이트를 통해 "클라우드 프로젝트가 9.11테러를 연상시키는 데 대해 깊은 유감을 표시한다"는 입장을 발표했으나 기존 설계도를 변경할 뜻은 전혀 내비치지 않았다고 이 신문은 밝혔다.
MBRDV는 성명에서 "9.11을 연상시키는 이미지를 만들려는 의도가 전혀 없었고, 설계 과정에서 둘 사이에 유사성이 있다는 사실도 인식하지 못했다"며 "설계도를 보고 마음이 상한 모든 사람들에게 진심으로 사과한다"고 말했다. (연합뉴스)
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rahnita@koreatimes.co.k |
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