Designs have been unveiled for IOTA Seoul I, a mixed-use development, designed by Foster + Partners, on a landmark site between Seoul Station and Namsan. Long a historic gateway to the city, the site will be transformed into a green urban oasis that restores lost connections to nature while creating new public destinations.
The masterplan introduces a six-star hotel, a 34-story office tower, and a tourism center, all integrated with landscaped terraces, roof gardens, and public parks. With 40 percent of the site is dedicated to open space, the buildings are strategically positioned to preserve sightlines from Seoullo 7017 to Namsan and the N Seoul Tower, while new pedestrian routes with escalators and stairs improve access from the station and Toegye-ro.
The office high-rise features column-free spans, flexible workspaces, and a roof garden with panoramic views. The tourism center is fully accessible and capped with a public roof garden, while the hotel incorporates the retained lobby of a former building by architect Kim Jong-sung, preserving the site’s architectural heritage.
Sustainability underpins the design, with nearly half of the project’s operational energy supplied by integrated photovoltaics, ground-source heating and cooling, and fuel cell technology.
Learn more at Foster + Partners.