Federation of Korean Industries
The 50-story, 240-meter tower features an innovative exterior wall, designed specifically for the project. The
building’s unique skin helps reduce internal heating and cooling loads and collects energy through photovoltaic
panels that are integrated into the spandrel areas of the southwest and northwest facades.
The concept for FKI was developed by combining the client’s request for a building that was contextual to the
predominantly orthogonal architecture of the Yeoido District and the city’s requirement that all new large-scale
commercial buildings generate a minimum of 5% of their energy onsite. The design team developed a strategy
that would meet both requirements as well as reduce the amount of energy that the building used for its heating
and cooling loads. The use of building integrated photovoltaic panels (BIPV) was seen as an architecturally
appealing way to meet the strict zoning requirement, while the optimization of the panels became a driving factor in
developing the architectural expression.
FKI’s exterior wall system combines maximum access to views, energy efficiency strategies and energy generation
technologies. By angling the spandrel panels 30 degrees toward the sun, the amount of energy collected by the
photovoltaic panels is maximized. Below the spandrel panels, the vision panels are angled 15 degrees toward the
ground, minimizing the amount of direct sun radiation and glare. The end result is a unique folded exterior texture
that is both purposeful and visually distinctive. Benefits include a reduction of glare and heat gains from direct
sunlight, while maintaining a high level of indirect light. With the exception of the early morning and the late
afternoon periods, the building is able to use the geometry of the exterior wall to self-shade the perimeter spaces
that would normally be inundated with direct sunlight. This gives the building occupants the flexibility to open the
shades and allow indirect natural light.
The tower’s interior includes several indoor garden and atrium spaces that enhance the workplace environment with
natural elements of wood, bamboo and other native plants. The interior of the building takes advantage of the floorto-ceiling
windows of the exterior wall, offering an abundance of natural light to office spaces and corridors as well as
extensive views of neighboring Yeoido Park, the Han River and the surrounding city.
FKI features an expansive rooftop atrium garden that also has custom photovoltaic panels. The ideal angle of the
panel placement on the roof was studied in detail. When analyzing the roof skylight photovoltaic panels, it was
equally important to account for self-shading so that enough natural light would be let into the sky garden below.
The garden is planted with Korean Boxwood, a lush and hearty shrub that is also low-maintenance. The rooftop
atrium also has several seating and viewing areas that tenants can sit and enjoy views of the surrounding city.
The sculptural podium piece is located on central Yeoi-Dae-Ro Avenue, further promoting the tower’s public
identity. The podium amenities, available for public use, include a banquet hall, a central restaurant and a conference
center. The podium is available for international conferences with a large first floor banquet hall and smaller
conference rooms of various sizes located on the second and third floors.
