Haeundae Doosan We've the Zenith

Haeundae Doosan We've the Zenith is a group of three apartment towers in the Marine City area of Haeundae, Busan, South Korea. The towers have 70, 75 and 80 floors, and the tallest, Tower A, is about 300 meters high. The complex was finished in 2011 and holds 1,788 homes.

Its curved walls were inspired by the waves of Haeundae Beach, by nearby Mount Jang and by the shape of flower petals. From 2011 to 2014 it was the tallest building in South Korea, and it is still the country's tallest place to live. The complex also includes one office building and stands on a site of 42,500 square meters.

How was it built?

Work began in November 2007 and took 48 months. The designer was De Stefano & Partners, a firm that specialises in tall buildings, and the structure was engineered by Thornton Tomasetti, which also worked on Taipei 101.

The curved outsides give residents views of Haeundae Beach, the Nurimaru building and the Gwangan Bridge. The site covers 42,500 square meters and also holds one office building.

Safety and life inside

Sensors measure wind and earthquake forces on the towers in real time. Every three floors there is a refuge area that normally serves as a rest space or hanging garden, and in an emergency it becomes a safe place to gather.

The builders used extra-strong concrete that resists spalling, which is when concrete explodes in extreme heat. Residents share a wine club, a music practice room, a family cinema and reading rooms.

On the globe

The model shows three curved, petal-like towers with stepped tops standing side by side.