Thomas E Graul, AIA

These studies illustrate the design development of the retail entry pavilions for the underground mall at the International Finance Centre in Seoul.

The glass pavilions have a structural framework that accentuates the movement from the submerged mall up into the plaza fronting the office towers. Local codes required that a significant portion of the roof be operable to permit smoke to be vented in the event of a fire emergency. This requirement, along with use of a screened frit pattern on the glass to reduce heat gain has caused the end result to be more opaque than intended.