In Seoul, 'twins' by MVRDV will be built despite protests from the families of 9/11 victims.

Photo: MVRDV

Seoul - A skyscraper resembling New York's "twins," which were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, will soon be built in the South Korean capital. Today, the South Korean construction company rejected any changes to the architectural design of the building, despite the fierce protests against its construction from the families of the victims of the Al-Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington.
    The towers of the skyscraper will be connected in the middle by a cloud-shaped bridge, which will host, among other things, observation bars, restaurants, and a pool. This multi-level bridge reminds the survivors of the cloud of smoke, glass, and steel created by the impact of two planes piloted by Al-Qaeda suicide bombers into New York's World Trade Center. The complex is also aptly named Cloud.
    "The accusation that the (design) was inspired by the September 11 attacks is unfounded. We will not change the project," announced a spokesman for the Yongsan construction company today, stating that construction is set to begin as planned in January 2013.
    The pair of skyscrapers, one with 54 floors and the other with 60, was designed by the Dutch architectural firm MVRDV. The building will be located in the modernized Seoul business district of Jongsan and is expected to be completed by 2016.
    "It was not our intention to create a building reminiscent of the attacks, and we did not see any similarity during the design process. We sincerely apologize to all whose feelings we have hurt," stated the firm MVRDV.
    Jim Riches, a former deputy chief of the New York Fire Department, whose son died on September 11, does not believe the architects. "It looks like those towers imploded. I believe the (architects) are trying to provoke a sensation. It's a cheap way to get publicity," quoted Riches by the New York Daily News.