We’ve the Zenith
Busan, South Korea

Construction is complete on the 4.1-million-sf, 378,500-m² mixed-use development (recently featured in Popular Science magazine). Thornton Tomasetti provided structural design to architect DeStefano + Partners. The development comprises three towers of 70 to 80 stories with underground parking and retail. At 80-stories (300 m), Tower A is the tallest residential building in South Korea. A nine-story podium housing retail sits at the center of the development. Exposure to typhoons posed the greatest design challenge. The towers are designed to withstand sustained 90-mph winds and up to 105-mph gusts. The butterfly-shaped core wall maximizes building stiffness while minimizing building materials. The cruciform pattern also orients each tower 45 degrees south providing southerly exposure and ocean views for all units and allows windows to open for cross-flow ventilation. (This conforms with the Korean requirement that residential buildings have a southerly exposure for the master bedroom and living room, and the preference for fresh air over air conditioning.) The buildings’ wide stance, with an aspect ratio of nearly 1:7, also helps improve stability and comfort for occupants.