Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Unveil Dancing Dragons Towers With Scaly, Breathable Skin

When architects <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/adrian-smith/">Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill</a> design a new building, people tend to pay attention. With projects like the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/burj-khalifa-tower/">Burj Khalifa</a> and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/kingdom-tower/">Kingdom Tower</a> under their belt, the firm is one of the world's leading skyscraper designers. So naturally, we perked up today when <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/adrian-smith-gordon-gill-architecture/">AS + GG</a> unveiled Dancing Dragons, a pair of striking supertall skyscrapers that will reshape the skyline of Seoul, South Korea. Inspired by mythical Korean dragons, the 88- and 77-story towers feature a breathable scale-like skin through which air can circulate.

We get the dragon part, but what about the dancing? "There's a sympathetic and complementary relationship between the two masses at the level of the cuts, almost as though they were dancing," explains <a href="http://smithgill.com/">Adrian Smith</a> in a press release.

The design team also includes Chicago-based energy and engineering firm <a href="http://www.pepractice.com/">PositivEnergy Practice</a>, which is providing consulting on the two towers' energy-efficient systems.

With operable 600-mm vents through which air can circulate, the towers' scale-like skin is actually a performative element that will be used for ventilation.

The landscape architecture, which was designed in collaboration with Martha Schwartz Partners, will echo the towers' geometric aesthetic.

The buildings will include residential, "officetel" and retail elements.

Some of the green features will include <a href="http://inhabitat.com/solar-power/">photovoltaic arrays</a> on the roof surfaces, radiant heating, fuel-cell cogeneration units at the basement level,  and triple-glazed windows to minimize heat loss.