Cheongna City Tower in Incheon, South Korea

Image courtesy of GDS Architects; CG by RayusThe winner of the second phase of an international design competition held by Korean Land Company has been announced. The winner is GDS Architects (principle designer Charles I. Wee) with the design for the Cheongna City Tower (formerly known as Tower Infinity). The Fist Prize, as this phase of the competition is known, will allow GDS to move forward with the project through design development. The tower will be built in Incheon, South Korea, as part of a new town construction. The tower will serve as the gateway to North East Korea near Incheon International Airport.

Image courtesy of GDS Architects; CG by Rayus
The architects give this description of the tower in a recent post by Bustler: “Instead of symbolizing prominence as another of the world's ‘tallest and best’ towers, it sets itself apart by celebrating the global community rather than focusing on itself. The tower subtly demonstrates Korea's rising position in the world by establishing its most powerful presence through diminishing its presence. Korea will have a unique position of having the ‘best’ tower by having an ‘anti tower.’ The tower itself appears to disappear through a unique optical technology. Outdoor promenades connect to Cheongna's water canals and natural park setting. [An] Extensive podium program of retail, children activities, water park, cultural, sports, and ecological activities complete the visitor experience.

Image courtesy of GDS Architects; CG by RayusThe tower will top out at 450 meters, and will include the second highest observation deck in the world.
An earlier post by Bustler claims that the project will be the world's first "invisible tower." The building’s skin will employ optical cameras that capture the views from the opposite wall and project those images on each part of the skin, creating the illusion of an invisible tower.

Image courtesy of GDS Architects; CG by Rayus