Editors’ Choice
2020 Skyscraper Competition
Jai Won Lee, Ryan Joongi Cho, Younchan Hwang, Woohyuk Choi
South Korea
Tree-tower carries a symbolism of preserving trees all over the world. By preserving all the varieties of the trees in one place, Tree-tower consists of over 50 thousand species which acts as the biggest air purifier in East Asia. Through a specialized modular system, each module not only transfers water and light, but it also has a splice which holds the building’s structure, presenting each tree’s environmental characteristics, allowing all trees to coexist at a shared location. The central part of the building has a park for the visitors when the basement of the building exhibits the seeds and saplings of trees all over the world, providing information on every tree in the world. However, because of the DMZ’s continuous management, the exit on the first floor doesn’t exist. Nonetheless, through the underground pathway, visitors can only view the interior of the building. Tree-tower is a symbol that shows the importance of conservation while preserving species diversity.
Tree-Tower will be located in DMZ. DMZ is a demilitarized zone followed by the ceasefire agreement that was signed after the Korean War in 1953. The government prohibits any citizen near the DMZ’s nature reserve and is therefore marked as Asia’s greatest nature preservation zone. In addition, DMZ’s district encompasses natural monuments and endangered species, such as the Asiatic Black Bears, foxes, musks, deer, goats, and otters, with its developed river and wetland. Therefore, by placing the TreeTower at the DMZ, it preserves the ecosystem.
The main purpose of the tower is to preserve all species of trees in the world.
As the TreeTower is located in the middle of the DMZ that consists of the world’s best ecology preservation, the TreeTower fulfills the role of preserving all types of trees. Inside of each of 52,000 modules of TreeTower holds one tree that is different from others. Each module provides a myriad of soil, temperature, and humidity differences for each of the tree’s suitable environment.
O2 park is located in the middle of Tree-tower. The park acts as the most important role of the TreeTower. By making the system that manages water resources needed for the building in the open form, this system not only preserves water needed for the trees, but it also provides comfort and the opportunity to see nature’s growth process. Centered with the artificially made waterfall, the park is divided into three zones. First, visitors can see the growth process of the tree. Second, the observatory zone presents the view of the DMZ, and lastly, a cafe that provides a resting space for convenience and relaxation.
The tower also has a museum of trees. The underground of the building exhibits the seeds and saplings of trees all over the world, providing information on every tree in the world.
Key Programs
1.Parking Lot
For the Dmz’s environmental protection, the entrance is only allowed through the tunnel that is connected to the basement of the building. Visitors are not allowed to step on the Dmz.
2. Pantheon (First museum if enter through underground tunnel or the parking lot)
Out of the three pillars of the building, this pillar manages the light, and the natural light followed by this pillar light up the basement. This space preserves seeds and sapling of the trees all over the world for the exhibition for the visitors.
3. Park Elevator
At the second pillar, which can be entered through Pantheon, there is an elevator that is allowed for the visitors to the park.
4. Lab Elevator
At the last pillar, which can be entered through Pantheon, there is an elevator only allowed to the staff and scholars that leads to labs and offices as well as to all the floors of the building.
