Seoul skyscrapers evoke memories of 9/11

Ill-conceived skyscrapers design according to relatives of 9/11 victims

The Dutch architectural company MVRDV, which has been commissioned by the Seoul, South Korea government to design two skyscrapers to be built at the entrance of the capital’s redeveloped Yongsan business district by 2016, has been the receiving end of criticism and complaints from 9/11 families for their apparent ill-conceived design.

According to the relatives of the victims of the 2001 terror attack the design seems to conjure dramatic images of clouds of smoke and debris billowing from the twin towers after they were hit by hijacked planes.

The thick billowing smoke coming from where the planes were intentionally crashed appear in the design now to be somehow connecting the two buildings that are mushrooming with lounges, restaurants, swimming pools and other amenities.

“It looks just like the towers imploding. I think they’re trying to sensationalize it. It’s a cheap way to get publicity,” said Jim Riches, a retired deputy fire chief whose son was killed on 9/11.

While the architectural firm apologized and expressed their regrets deeply for seemingly evoking the painful tragedy, the South Korean developer, however, said that the design won’t be altered.

“Allegations that it (the design) was inspired by the 9/11 attacks are groundless,” said White Paik, a spokesman for the Yongsan Development Corporation.

“There will be no revision or change in our project,” he said, adding that construction would begin in January 2013 as scheduled.

French ‘spiderman’ to climb world’s tallest building

Alain Robert, more know as the French ‘spiderman’ for his daring climbs, now plans to scale Burj Khalifa, the tallest building of the world at 828-metre (2,717-foot) in Dubai.

“My biggest fear is to waste my time on earth. For me, climbing is as important as eating and breathing. Climbing skyscrapers is my lifetime love and passion” Robert said.

He showed his apprehension, however, about climbing the Dubai tower because of the Middle Eastern heat.

“The problem in Dubai is the hot weather (of) up to 40 degrees (Celsius, 104 degrees Fahrenheit),” he said.

Robert, who first climbed his eight-floor apartment at 12 years of age after forgetting his keys, has since scaled more than 100 giant building across the globe with bare hands and shoes.

His famous climbs include the Petronas Twin Towers, Taiwan’s Taipei 101, the Eiffel Tower in France, the Empire State building in New York and the Sears Tower in Chicago