Skip to main content

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

The-Cloud-MVRDV
Image used with permission by copyright holder

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. 

Amir Iliaifar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Associate Automotive Section Editor for Digital Trends, Amir Iliaifar covers the ever increasing cross-section between tech…
Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra vs. Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo: Which premium robot vacuum is best?
The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra placed in its dock.

Roborock and Ecovacs are two of the biggest names in the world of robot vacuums. The companies have been producing some of the best robot vacuum and mop combos for years, and that trend has continued into 2024 with the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo. Both are ultra-premium devices that clock in at over $1,000, and we awarded both of them impressive scores in our reviews. In short, it's hard to go wrong with either robot vacuum.

However, there are some key differences between the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo. From suction power and mopping skills to pricing and additional features, here's a comprehensive look at the two robot vacuums to help you decide which is best for your home.
Pricing and availability

Read more
Samsung Spring Sale: Get up to $915 off smart ranges today
A Samsung smart range with the Smart Oven camera.

Samsung's Spring Black Friday sale has slashed the prices of all kinds of home appliances, including gas and electric ranges. There are discounts available for Samsung's smart ranges too, which will allow you to enjoy savings of up to $915. Feel free to check out all the ranges that are cheaper than usual in the ongoing sale, but if you want to focus on getting a smart range for your kitchen, read on to learn all about them and how much you'll have to pay.

What to buy in Samsung's Spring Black Friday sale for smart ranges
Samsung's smart ranges are equipped with the Smart Oven Camera, which will allow you to check on the food that you're cooking through a livestream on your phone. You can even make time-lapse videos and share them on social media. You'll enjoy this feature on the Samsung Bespoke 6.3. cu. ft. smart slide-in electric range, which is from $2,536 for a $737 discount, and the Samsung Bespoke 6.0. cu. ft. smart slide-in gas range, which is from $2,659 for savings of $760. Both smart ranges have illuminated precision knobs that light up to let you know that the home appliance is on, and they work with the Samsung SmartThings app for pre-heating the oven, planning meals, downloading cooking modes, and much more.

Read more
How to reset the Nanoleaf Skylight
The Nanoleaf Skylight lighting up a room various shades of purple.

The Nanoleaf Skylight is a unique piece of hardware. Unlike most Nanoleaf products that are quick to install or easy to move and replace, the Skylight is designed as a permanent fixture in your home. Instead of simply plugging it into an electrical outlet, you'll need to hardwire it onto your ceiling – and once it's in place, you'll want it to stay there for years.

However, like all electronics, it's possible for your Nanoleaf Skylight to start acting up. And since there's no easy way to get the entire unit down from your ceiling, you might be wondering how you can quickly solve the problem. Thankfully, Nanoleaf designed a simple way for you to reset the Nanoleaf Skylight without the need to disassemble the entire setup.

Read more