Songdo Xi Crystal Ocean
RATIO · Incheon, South Korea
Overview
Located in the Incheon neighborhood of Seoul, Korea, Songdo Xi Crystal Ocean features nine individual buildings comprised of seven residential towers, ranging in size from 39 to 42 stories, and two seven-story luxury villas. The development provides over 1,500 units and features expansive public parks and playgrounds, amenities like a café, a seniors recreation center, gymnasiums, a daycare facility as well as underground parking garages capable of providing nearly 2,300 spaces.
The Songdo Xi Crystal Ocean is located within one of Korea’s largest modernized planned cities on a site constructed from reclaimed land from the Yellow Sea with direct access to the ocean. Three distinct residential structures were planned for this project: terrace houses, landmark towers and typical towers. The low-rise terrace houses are situated closest to the ocean and were placed there to help diversify and elevate the living experience, like a resort development. The landmark towers are located on the two west end corners of the site, and the four typical towers are located on the east end of the site. This planning strategy resulted in ensuring all residents to attain unobstructed views of the ocean. Another distinct context of the site lies in its connectivity with its surroundings. Passageways spanning the West and East ends of the site along with the central plaza garden connect the complex with adjacent schools, neighborhoods and communities. Retail spaces were also planned alongside the terrace houses which would allow the public access to this dynamic space. Rather than being a gated community with obstructive views, the Songdo Crystal Xi opted to be an open and inclusive garden for the neighborhood at large. The project team created a diverse living environment through three significant choices featuring inclusivity, accessibility and comfort. While attaining these three pillars, Songdo Xi Crystal Ocean also needed to stand out with aesthetics. Songdo, as a strategically developed project city, leads the trends in innovative designs in Korean residential architecture along with traditionally opulent neighborhoods such as Gangnam. As the site is adjacent to public spaces, such as Songdo Waterfront Park and Songdo Central Park, the complex will eventually serve as the face of Songdo overall, acting as a beacon and leaving a lasting impression for residents and visitors alike.
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