One of the most astounding skyscrapers in the world towers above all the other buildings in the immense city of Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
It’s an astonishing sight to behold, and in this article, you’ll discover the ultimate list of interesting facts about the Lotte World Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world.
1. It’s located just east of the heart of Seoul
The Lotte World Tower is a huge skyscraper located in Sincheon-dong, one of the neighborhoods in the Songpa District of Seoul. This district is located in the southeastern part of the city and not too far from the city center.
It’s not unsurprising that the tallest building in the city was constructed here because this is also the district with the highest population in Seul. Nearly 650,000 people live in this area which is just 33.89 square kilometers (13.09 square miles).
With a population density of over 19,000 per square kilometer (49,000 per square mile), this is also one of the most crowded areas in the city. Luckily, everything is well-organized so it never feels suffocating which is quite remarkable.
2. It’s the tallest building in South Korea and the 5th-tallest in the world
The immensely densely populated Songpa District remarkably doesn’t feature that many tall skyscrapers. At least, that’s how it appears to be when you look at the area from a distance.
This is mainly because the Lotte World Tower features 123 floors and stands 555.7 meters (1,823 feet), towering majestically above the large number of buildings that surround it.
This height makes it the tallest building in South Korea and at the moment of writing this article (November 2021), it’s still the 5th-tallest structure in the world.
Upon completion in 2017, it was the 4th-tallest in the world but was quickly surpassed by the Ping An International Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China.
3. It was designed by a renowned American architectural firm
The tower was designed by one of the biggest architectural firms in the world named Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. This firm is headquartered in New York City and has been involved in multiple fascinating projects.
Some of these are the Shanghai World Financial Center in China, 30 Hudson Yards in New York, and the Heron Tower, one of the most remarkable skyscrapers in London.
The building was commissioned by the Lotte Corporation, a conglomerate of over 60 companies in South Korea that employ a combined number of over 60,000 employees.
The tower is used for a wide variety of purposes and features the Lotte Hotel on floors 76 to 101 and residences from floors 42 to 71. The majority of other floors are used as office space.
4. It took well over a decade before the construction actually began
One of the most remarkable facts about the Lotte World Tower is that its construction was already planned in the late 20th century. It took eventually 13 before officials gave the green light to build the tower.
Following an extensive planning phase and preparatory works, construction eventually began in November 2010. The tower topped out on March 17, 2006, when the enormous roof that covers floors 107-123 was completed.
It took another year for the building to be finished and it opened to the public on April 3, 2017.
5. The view from the tower’s observation deck is breathtaking
The main attraction inside the tower is the observation deck referred to as “Seoul Sky.” It’s located right on top of the tower and features multiple entertainment facilities taking up floors 117 to 123.
These are the spits that you can enjoy in this extensive tourist attraction per floor:
- 117 – Entrance and viewing deck of Seoul Sky
- 118 – Sky Friendly Cafe and Sky Terrace.
- 119 – Photozone to take amazing pictures.
- 122 – Seoul Sky Cafe to have a drink.
- 123 – Exclusive lounge bar.
It’s easy to understand why the observation platform provides some of the most astounding views of the city imaginable, views equally remarkable as the amazing tower known as N Seoul Tower or “Namsan Tower.”
The observation platform features a glass floor which was the highest of its kind in the world upon completion.
More interesting facts about the Lotte World Tower
6. The tower’s height of 555.7 meters (1,823 feet) means that the Lotte World Tower is slightly taller than the tallest building in the United States, One World Trade Center which stands 541.3 meters (1,776 feet) tall.
This also makes it the tallest building in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), an economic organization with 3 country members (including most in Europe and the US).
7. The structural engineer of the building was equally renowned as the architectural firm involved in the design as it was in the hands of Leslie E. Robertson Associates.
Leslie E. Robertson (1928-2021) is world-famous for being the structural engineer of the original Twin Towers of the WTC in New York City.
8. The roof of the tower is something very special. It not only covers floors 107 to 123 but was designed with steel elements that are each 12 meters (39 feet) long and weigh about 20 tonnes (20,000 kilos) each.
Needless to say that it wasn’t an easy job to assemble this enormous structure at a height of over 500 meters (1,640 feet) above the ground below. GPS alignment systems were used as well as a 64 tonnes crane.
9. The roof was built in such a way that it can carry its weight without the need for reinforcing concrete pillars. Steel elements that weigh a combined 3,000 tonnes were assembled to achieve this remarkable feat of engineering.
The result is amazing because the roof of the tower can not only sustain earthquakes with a magnitude of 9 on the Richter Scale but also winds with speeds of up to 288 kilometers per hour (178 miles per hour).
10. Apart from being used to shoot off fireworks during New Year celebrations, the tower is also equipped with thousands of Led Lights. This allows the building to produce a remarkable light show.
The combination of the amazingly illuminated building with the fact that it towers high above all the other buildings in the city makes this one of the most fascinating landmarks in any city in the world.
