63 Building
Encyclopedia
The 63 Building officially the 63 City, is a skyscraper
on Yeouido
island, overlooking the Han River
in Seoul
, South Korea
. At 249 meters (817 ft) high, it surpassed Sunshine 60
in Tokyo
and became the tallest building outside North America
when completed in 1985, but a few months later the title went to OUB Centre in Singapore
. As of 2010 is no longer in the top 100. It was South Korea's tallest building until Hyperion Tower
surpassed it in 2003 and remained South Korea's tallest commercial building until the Northeast Asia Trade Tower
was topped-out in 2009. The 63 Building was a result of a building boom in South Korea. 63 refers to the building's 63 official stories, of which 60 are above ground level and 3 are basement floors. The skyscraper is the headquarters of Korea Life Insurance
, Industrial Bank of Korea Securities, and other major financial companies.
The 59th floor houses the world's tallest art gallery
and an observation deck
known as 63 Golden Tower, that allows visitors to see as far as Incheon
on clear days. The 59th floor features international restaurants called Walking in the Cloud, while the 58th floor houses family restaurants called Touch the Sky. Observation elevators equipped with windows enable their passengers to view the city as they ride up to (or down from) the observation deck. In the evening, some elevators are available for only couples, called the Love Elevator, which gives them a 1 minute exclusive ride. The lower floors house an indoor shopping mall with approximately 90 stores, an Imax Theater, and a large aquarium
. A convention center
and banquet hall are also housed within the building. On July 5, 2009, a wax museum
opened in third and fourth floor basement of the building.
The 63 Building was featured in the computer games SimCity 3000
and SimCity 4
, and is featured on the cover of SimCity 3000 Unlimited.
and completed construction on May 1985. In 2000, Hanwha Group renamed the building 63 City and it became part of the group in 2002.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
on Yeouido
Yeouido
Yeouido is a large island in the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. It is Seoul's main business and investment banking district. Its 8.4 square kilometers are home to some 30,988 people. The island is located in the Yeongdeungpo-gu district of Seoul, and largely corresponds to the precinct of...
island, overlooking the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. At 249 meters (817 ft) high, it surpassed Sunshine 60
Sunshine 60
is a 60-story, mixed-use skyscraper located in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, adjoining the Sunshine City complex. At the time of its completion in 1978, the 239.7 m building was the tallest in Asia, a title it held until 1985 when it was surpassed by the 63 Building in Seoul...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and became the tallest building outside North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
when completed in 1985, but a few months later the title went to OUB Centre in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. As of 2010 is no longer in the top 100. It was South Korea's tallest building until Hyperion Tower
Hyperion Tower
The Hyperion Tower , also known as the Mok-dong Hyperion Towers, is a group of three buildings located in the Yangcheon-gu district of Seoul, South Korea, completed in 2003. The tallest of which, Tower A, is 69 storeys and 256 metres high, making it the second tallest building in Seoul and the...
surpassed it in 2003 and remained South Korea's tallest commercial building until the Northeast Asia Trade Tower
Northeast Asia Trade Tower
The Northeast Asia Trade Tower or NEATT is a skyscraper in Songdo International City, the world's most expensive private real estate project in Incheon Free Economic Zone, South Korea. The 305m building is currently South Korea's tallest, and has 88 floors...
was topped-out in 2009. The 63 Building was a result of a building boom in South Korea. 63 refers to the building's 63 official stories, of which 60 are above ground level and 3 are basement floors. The skyscraper is the headquarters of Korea Life Insurance
Hanwha Daehan Life Insurance
Hanwha-Daehan Life Insurance Co, Ltd. is a South Korean insurance company. headquartered in 63 Building, Yeoeuido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea.It was established in 1946 as Korea Life Insurance Co, Ltd....
, Industrial Bank of Korea Securities, and other major financial companies.
The 59th floor houses the world's tallest art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
and an observation deck
Observation deck
__FORCETOC__ An observation deck, observation platform or viewing platform is an elevated sightseeing platform usually situated upon a tall architectural structure such as a skyscraper or observation tower...
known as 63 Golden Tower, that allows visitors to see as far as Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
on clear days. The 59th floor features international restaurants called Walking in the Cloud, while the 58th floor houses family restaurants called Touch the Sky. Observation elevators equipped with windows enable their passengers to view the city as they ride up to (or down from) the observation deck. In the evening, some elevators are available for only couples, called the Love Elevator, which gives them a 1 minute exclusive ride. The lower floors house an indoor shopping mall with approximately 90 stores, an Imax Theater, and a large aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
. A convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
and banquet hall are also housed within the building. On July 5, 2009, a wax museum
Wax museum
A wax museum or waxworks consists of a collection of wax sculptures representing famous people from history and contemporary personalities exhibited in lifelike poses....
opened in third and fourth floor basement of the building.
The 63 Building was featured in the computer games SimCity 3000
SimCity 3000
SimCity 3000 is a city building simulation personal computer game and the third major installment in the SimCity series. It was published by Electronic Arts and developed by series creator Maxis, a wholly owned subsidiary of EA...
and SimCity 4
SimCity 4
SimCity 4 is a city-building/urban planning simulation computer game developed by Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. It was released on January 14, 2003. It is the fourth installment in the SimCity series. SimCity 4 has a single expansion pack called Rush Hour which adds features to the game...
, and is featured on the cover of SimCity 3000 Unlimited.
History
The 63 Building's construction broke ground in February 1980, at the height of South Korea's economic boom. It was built at a cost of 180,000,000,000 wonSouth Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
and completed construction on May 1985. In 2000, Hanwha Group renamed the building 63 City and it became part of the group in 2002.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of skyscrapers
- Korean architectureKorean architectureKorean architecture refers to the built environment of Korea from c. 30,000 BC to the present.-Introduction:From a technical point of view, buildings are structured vertically and horizontally...
- Hyperion TowerHyperion TowerThe Hyperion Tower , also known as the Mok-dong Hyperion Towers, is a group of three buildings located in the Yangcheon-gu district of Seoul, South Korea, completed in 2003. The tallest of which, Tower A, is 69 storeys and 256 metres high, making it the second tallest building in Seoul and the...