Carlo Ratti raises tower with ‘heels’ to tackle flooding in Seoul
CRA–Carlo Ratti Associatiin collaboration with South Korean construction company GS E&C, proposes a height of 140 meters residential tower inside Seoul which elevates its inhabited volume on slender structural columns. Named A High Rise on High Heels, the project replaces the tower’s podium with an open, permeable landscape that manages stormwater by preserving existing trees and creating new public space.
The tower concentrates its structural load on a series of oversized columns, allowing water, vegetation and pedestrian activity to flow beneath the building. The proposal is based on the principles of the “sponge city” approach, slowing down and absorbing rainwater on site before it reaches Seoul’s drainage network, positioning the tower as part of the city’s climate adaptation infrastructure.
all images by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati
Adaptive facades respond to sunlight and climate
The raised ground level also changes the way residents interact with the site, as landscaped gardens extend below and around the building. There, community amenities, including food courts, teahouses and spaces for urban agriculture, occupy the shadowy public realm. By minimizing the building’s footprint, the design preserves mature trees and opens the block to daylight and public access.
Higher up, the architects to the CRA to reinterpret a mandatory element of the South Korean building regulations. Shelter floors, normally required every 30 floors for emergency evacuation, become planted communal terraces distributed throughout the tower, acting as communal outdoor spaces.
The tower casing also varies with orientation rather than being based on a uniform wall. The south-facing elevations incorporate photovoltaic panels to generate renewable energy, while the east and west facades incorporate vertical louvres that moderate low-angle solar gain. The strategy aims to improve environmental performance through passive responses adapted to the exposure of each facade.
the 140m residential tower is elevated above the ground on thin structural columns
Tower facades respond to orientation with photovoltaic panels and vertical shading devices
landscaped public gardens extend below the elevated tower
project information:
name: A High Rise in High Heels (Climate Adaptation Tower)
architect: CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati | @carlorattiassociati
partner: GS E&C
location: Seoul, South Korea
