14 DAY TRIAL // A new project that will be completed in Seoul by 2015 seems to have drawn for inspiration on one of the most unfortunate tragedies in modern history: the collapse of the World Trade Center Twin Towers in NYC on September 11, 2001.
Called “The Cloud” and designed by architecture firm MVRDV as part of the larger project Yongsan Dream Hub, who lists Daniel Libeskind as lead designer (he's also the master plan architect at Ground Zero), the project is of twin towers joined at some of the upper levels.
Seen from the distance, the new towers seem to bear a very striking resemblance to those that came crashing down in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks – more precisely, with the moment the second plane crashed into them, right before they collapsed, as the Los Angeles Times also points out.
It's as if MVRDV went to great pains to replicate the moment the plane exploded, creating the ball of fire from the explosion by building additional flats that go around one tower and join it to the other, as the photo attached will also show.
At least, that's what various US media outlets and commenters are saying about the new project. For all it's worth, the company who designed “The Cloud,” MVRDV claims they never even imagined someone would think of the NYC Towers when they saw their latest creation.
Assaulted by negative comments from all sides, included on their official webpage, MVRDV are attempting some damage control by issuing a statement to say they meant no offense because they never intended one set of towers to copy another.
“MVRDV regrets deeply any connotations The Cloud projects evoke regarding 9/11,” the company says in a statement cited by the aforementioned publication.
“It was not our intention to create an image resembling the attacks nor did we see the resemblance during the design process. We sincerely apologize to anyone whose feelings we have hurt,” the statement further reads.
According to the company, “[The Cloud] was designed based on parameters such as sunlight, outside spaces, living quality for inhabitants and the city,” and not with the purpose to mirror such a tragic event as the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Angry voices online, though, are saying pictures are more convincing than words: and they seem to deny what MVRDV is saying.
