| Walking marathoners for Incheon Asian Games pass beside skyscrapers built by POSCO E&C on Songdo Island in this photo take on Sept. 28. / Courtesy of POSCO E&C |
By Park Si-soo
POSCO Engineering and Construction (E&C) is playing a leading role in transforming Songdo into a skyscraper-studded international business city.
The island recently garnered international media attention as its main thoroughfares were used for a walking marathon, cycling, a triathlon and marathon in the ongoing Incheon Asian Games.
Songdo, located 60 kilometers west of Seoul and in the shadow of Incheon International Airport, is home to a regional office of the World Bank, the Green Climate Fund and many other influential international organizations. More than 50 foreign-invested companies have settled there, designated as a free economy zone in 2003.
Many of the organizations and companies are working in buildings built by POSCO E&C. The company built Songdo Convensia, a large-scale convention center which is being used as the international broadcasting center for the Asian Games.
The Pohang-based builder won an award from the American Institute of Architects in 2005 for the design applied to a residential and commercial complex, Sharp First World. The company was also recognized for unique and modern designs ㅡ inspired by waves, baskets, bamboo branches or tree bark ㅡ which were applied to the Sharp Central Park residential buildings. The recently completed 68-story North East Asia Trade Tower, considered one of iconic architectural features of Songdo, was designed and built by POSCO E&C.
"Songdo is a place where conventional ideas of residential and commercial building are broken," a POSCO E&C officer said. "We built some buildings after getting inspiration from Korea's traditional culture. At the same time, we can feel the latest construction trend with new buildings in Songdo. Simply put, Songdo is where an architectural design competition is raging."
On top of design, POSCO E&C puts great emphasis on making buildings eco-friendly. To do so, the company has tried hard to develop construction technologies and materials that have a minimal impact on the land, water and air. The company built international schools and residential buildings in Songdo with these technologies and materials. These buildings were acknowledged by eco-friendly building rating system known as LEED.