Outrage emerges as Dutch firm is accused of using World Trade Center as inspiration for “The Cloud”

December 12, 2011 By Amir Iliaifar

Dutch architectural firm MVRDV's "The Cloud" is receiving a lot of attention, but not the kind it probably wants, as its latest project, a luxury highrise located in Seoul, South Korea, is said to eerily resemble New York City's Twin Towers under attack.

Last week, we brought you images of ” The Cloud” a luxury highrise planned for development in the Yongsan Dreamhub of Seoul, South Korea. It appears now that Rotterdam-based, Dutch architectural firm, MVRDV has found itself in hot water as their latest project has drawn massive outrage. Sections within the media have led a storm of public outcry and criticized “The Cloud” for resembling New York City’s Twin Towers that tragically came down on September 11th, 2001.

In response to the resemblance of the Twin Towers, MVRDV has issued a public apology stating, “The Cloud was designed based on parameters such as sunlight, outside spaces, living quality for inhabitants and the city…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 design was not meant to provoke this”. According to MVRDV, the firm has received a number of “threatening calls and emails of angry people calling us Al Qaeda lovers or worse”.

Regardless of whether the design was intentional or not, it seems that plenty of people are upset with MVRDV; we would like to know what you think. Do you feel the “The Cloud” too closely resembles New York‘s Twin Towers? Let us know in the comments section below.

Showing 34 comments

Emmett Till at 9:10pm 3rd January 2012 It is a sad world we live in that every nut case who finds an excuse to be outraged is given his or her 15 minutes of fame and we are distracted from the very real problems we have in this country and the world. Sigh.
DataDiva at 4:19pm 13th December 2011 To my fellow Americans: Not everything is about us. Startling news, I know, but it is about time to get over ourselves. After all, we are headed for third world status anyway, might as well get used to it.
Relative Mind at 2:43pm 13th December 2011 It seems to be human nature to always when there are options, to take the worst. Why if one thinks it resembles the (destroyed) WTC in New York, are people outraged. I for one believe that now any two high-rises next to one another would create an outcry. If for instance people would look at it as a tribute(as suggested by Lucasred) to the fallen people, to the building itself, to the architect, to the City of New York even, that I could understand. No wonder this world is in a turmoil if people when facing two options always take the negative one. Suggestion to the architects: Just put a third building to it either in a row or in a triangle and 'connect' the cloud.
jedijones at 2:36pm 13th December 2011 Architecture is architecture, terrorism is terrorism. Keep the two seperate. These buildings and their green terraces are a beautiful design that brings to mind the green architecture of Hundertwasser House on a large scale. While 911 is a tragic event, calling these architects Al Qaeda lovers is a bit much...
lucasred at 2:01pm 13th December 2011 I think it's a beautiful design. If the dutch or the South Koreans called this a 'tribute' would it be acceptable?
Samvel Aleksanian at 7:35pm 13th December 2011 So anytime somebody builds two towers (towers are usually shaped in a rectangular fashion by the way) and connects them through a corridor, people are going to scream and shout about 9/11???? This is nonsense.
jesterking at 7:39am 13th December 2011 The Dutch are quite ignorant when it comes to such issues.
johnknee at 6:50am 13th December 2011 They could round out the towers and also the cloud, making it like a disk shape or flying saucer, I would like that.
Jim Konopliski at 6:11am 13th December 2011 I showed my 16 year old daughter the photo, blocking out the headline and story, and asked her "what do you think of this picture"? She simply said, "looks kind of weird." So I say it passes the test. Now of course, that the controversy has begun, it will be hard to divorce the design from all the speculation and negative spin, so these towers might be doomed as well.
1. Yóur Móm at 1:42am 6th January 2012 What test? The test of whether it reminds her of something that happened when she was 5 or 6 years old?
Scot Medicinehorse at 6:10am 13th December 2011 OH! I just NOW "get it"!...The building design is supposed to "simulate" puffy, fluffy clouds floating through the buildings, right? Now THAT makes sense! I can see why you guys want to just ride with the controversy!...
Xander Burns at 8:45am 13th December 2011 what a odd looking building. the whole two tower thing is a bit pc gone mad though
Fe Loreta Estrella at 9:06pm 12th December 2011 only stupid and paranoid people would entertain such a stupid notion that MVRDV's design of this structure is like that of the twin towers disastrous event... how typically american, lol
Damon Schmitt at 4:01am 13th December 2011 It's an incredible idea, for sure.But by only doing it on portions of the -two towers- that make up the project, I find it interesting that no one realized or pointed out the resemblance.Because of a number of factors, it makes me wonder why the design is not consistent over a larger portion of the buildings. Or perhaps, have them joined at 2 points by 'clouds', which would provide even more stability, more patios, and less of an 'exploding trade center' feel.
liloleme4fun at 7:54pm 12th December 2011 If the architecture firm was trying to promote outside "living spaces" and a connection between the two buildings, there are other ways, other than making it appear as though a billowing cloud of smoke and debris were "exploding" from them. The firm, in my opinion, did exactly what it's being accused of, designed the two buildings to resemble the Twin Towers of 9/11. Whether it was to gain notoriety, or infamy, either way, they are banking on tragedy to give themselves some free advertising.
Taco Salad at 3:17am 13th December 2011 *Ignores Media Spin*
Horatio at 7:13pm 12th December 2011 The explosions on the WTC is not even on the same level and nowhere close either. Why would anyone think of linking this to 9/11? To me, there wasn't a need to issue a public apology. MVRDV has done nothing wrong.
Karl William Davis at 6:59pm 12th December 2011 by that logic, any two adjacent skyscrapers of the same shape and approximately even heights can be compared to the twin towers. this is just silly
Daniel Hauck at 2:35am 13th December 2011 Very cool design! I hope it gets built!!!
Jerry Baxley at 2:25am 13th December 2011 actually the apartment towers are a fascinating design. Cantilevering patios and common area's over a building at that height and in the middle of the building provides better structural support. I like them!!!!
john-v at 5:13pm 12th December 2011 This reminds me of something from the Matrix. Seoul is a great place and this would make a nice addition.
Zackery Brown at 1:09am 13th December 2011 ^ Agree with what he said about what the other guy said. the cloud part looks pretty cool.
Chris Foreman at 12:56am 13th December 2011 What he said ^
Maxwell Schnur at 12:56am 13th December 2011 If you hadn't said what it resembled my mind probably wouldn't have immediately went to the towers coming down. I also see two towers poking through a cloud which is what the intent is. People are irrational sometimes, but I could see how it upsets people.
tytheteacher at 4:43pm 12th December 2011 Really? I don't see it and I was attached to my TV as CNN slammed my senses for the next week of that attack footage over and over and over again. That isn't going to leave my mind anytime soon, and this is certainly not that.
1. jesterking at 7:41am 13th December 2011 Awesome! You watched it on your TV! That's great! Well, I was there! A block away, looking up at it as both planes hit. But, watching it on TV, probably from the other side of the country, makes you understand it completely. I bet you don't even think about it anymore...? I do. Every single day.
  1. LetsReason at 8:40am 13th December 2011 Sorry you went through that. It is a terrible thing that I'm sure you, or anyone else there, will not forget. Still, I don't think venting on Ty is going to make you forget it any more. Ty was not there and all he has is the television to allow him to share in the grief you experienced. At least he acknowledges the tragedy and unforgettable.I agree with Ty. I will never forget it, but I refuse to go through my life disallowing the rest of the world to see things creatively just because it reminds "me" of something terrible in the past.
    jesterking at 8:58am 13th December 2011 The point that I was making was that people seem to think they know, but they have no clue. Hell, just a few years later, people in the general area who weren't directly involved or impacted were saying dumb things, because they just don't get it. I never said anything against this design. I really think it's kind of dumb looking. If they want to be more in touch with nature, why use a block design. I was, if anything, jesting at the fact that since they were "glued" to the TV, clearly they don't really understand or get it. Yes, I think people should move on, but I also think that people should be allowed to express their pain in anyway they feel necessary. That is, if this building design brings back horrible memories of people's sink melting off of their bodies as they leap from the 80th floor, and hearing the sounds of bodies as they hit the pavement leaving nothing but a splatter (knowing that was a living person, not 30 seconds ago). I can sympathize. And I say, let them be pissed.
  2. redheaddramatchr at 8:58am 13th December 2011 Just because you lived in the city with the attacks does not give you any kind of moral superiority. Using that logic we could say your grief wasn't real either because your spouse wasn't killed in the attack, and only people who knew someone killed can fully grieve. I think Ty is trying to say that, people are just trying to make controversy where there is none. However, I am sorry for your pain, because it is immense.
    jesterking at 8:59am 13th December 2011 Three of my friends died in those buildings. Care to reassess your opinion?
    redheaddramatchr at 9:07am 13th December 2011 No. I'm just saying it was awful for everyone. Anyone that loves this country and our freedom was deeply wounded. But I am very sorry for your pain. Truly.
    
    jesterking at 9:02am 13th December 2011 Basically it's a crappy situation all around.
    redheaddramatchr at 9:05am 13th December 2011 yes it is, and my anger goes out the those that created the situation.
Jeremy Steele at 12:39am 13th December 2011 Hey palm, meet my face.