HOK’s team joined South Korea President Park Geun-hye, LG Group chairman and executives, and hundreds of guests to unveil the design and break ground for a new 11.8 million-sf research and science campus in Seoul.
This will be the largest research complex in western Seoul and the center for LG’s next-generation research and development. Located in Seoul’s Magok District, the LG Science Park provides facilities to support innovative research and industrial prototyping.
When it is complete, employees from 10 different LG business groups will move to the landscaped urban campus. HOK designed phase one of the master plan and six of the laboratory and office buildings totaling 8 million sf.
“Based on the wide range of science accommodated and the emphasis on sustainable design, the new LG Science Park will be a unique campus in the global research community,” said Larry Malcic, HOK’s Director of Design in London. “The architecture, planning, and landscaping reflect the LG brand by being innovative and rational, elegantly simple and beautifully detailed.”
Planned around the company’s vision for highly collaborative, interdisciplinary research, LG Science Park provides flexible buildings and laboratories for virtually every type of science. HOK’s design provides high-quality facilities that will attract and retain leading research scientists from across the world. The design encourages communication and collaboration among LG’s business units.
A public greenway bisects the site from north to south, connecting the campus to a public park. The master plan also creates a new linear park running east to west through the site, forming extensive swaths of greenery and encouraging public access to the parks.
Intersecting the parks at the heart of the campus is an Integrated Support Center (ISC) housing shared campus facilities. Designed for LEED Platinum certification, the ISC features a welcome center, LG exhibition and conference spaces, sports and recreation facilities, a children’s nursery, a VIP suite, and offices.
Each LG business unit has its own main entrance and lobby. Building elevations are framed with natural stone and in-filled with glass and stainless steel panels to create a variety of facade treatments that provide views to the parks and minimize solar gain. In the lower ground level, under the linear park, a dining facility accommodating 11,000 people links buildings and shared facilities. A three-level basement provides a connecting service corridor, support spaces, a central utility plant and parking for 4,200 cars.
Sustainable design strategies for the LG Science Park include self-shading facade treatments and the use of innovative technologies, such as algae panels and footfall harvesting to generate power. Flat roof surfaces accommodate photovoltaic panels and vegetated roofs, while ground-source heat pumps provide heating and cooling.
HOK provided architecture, interior design, laboratory planning, landscape architecture, master planning and urban design services. HOK worked in association with Korean practices Gansam Architects, Chang-Jo Architecture and LG Toyo Engineering; engineering consultants WSP (structural and civil engineering); and Vanderweil Engineers (mechanical, electrical and plumbing services).
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Nov 2, 2022
New York City construction official wants to boost design-build
The new associate commissioner of alternative delivery in New York City’s Department of Design and Construction aims to encourage more design-build project delivery in the city.
University Buildings | Nov 2, 2022
New Univ. of Calif. Riverside business school building will support hybrid learning
A design-build partnership of Moore Ruble Yudell and McCarthy Building Companies will collaborate on a new business school building at the University of California at Riverside.
Building Team | Nov 1, 2022
Nonresidential construction spending increases slightly in September, says ABC
National nonresidential construction spending was up by 0.5% in September, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
40 Under 40 | Nov 1, 2022
40 Under 40 class of 2022 winners: Meet the architects
Of the up-and-coming AEC professionals to be named 40 Under 40 class of 2022 winners by the editors of Building Design+Construction, 22 make their living in the architecture profession.
K-12 Schools | Nov 1, 2022
Safety is the abiding design priority for K-12 schools
With some exceptions, architecture, engineering, and construction firms say renovations and adaptive reuse make up the bulk of their work in the K-12 schools sector.
| Nov 1, 2022
Updated Florida building codes helped newer homes withstand Hurricane Ian
Newer homes seemed to fare much better than older structures during Hurricane Ian, suggesting that updated Florida building codes made a difference.
Wood | Nov 1, 2022
A European manufacturer says its engineered wood products can store carbon for decades
Metsä Wood, a Finland-based manufacturer of engineered wood products, says its sustainable, material-efficient products can store carbon for decades, helping to combat climate change.
Data Centers | Oct 31, 2022
Data center construction facing record-breaking inflation, delays
Data center construction projects face record-breaking inflation amid delays to materials deliveries and competition for skilled labor, according to research from global professional services company Turner & Townsend.
School Construction | Oct 31, 2022
Claremont McKenna College science center will foster integrated disciplinary research
The design of the Robert Day Sciences Center at Claremont McKenna College will support “a powerful, multi-disciplinary, computational approach to the grand socio-scientific challenges and opportunities of our time—gene, brain, and climate,” says Hiram E. Chodosh, college president.
Energy Efficient Roofing | Oct 28, 2022
Rooftop mini turbines can pair with solar panels
A new type of wind turbine can pair well on roofs with solar panels, offering a double source of green energy generation for buildings.
