South Korea Get Permit to Build Worlds First Invisible Building!

Like me you have probably dreamt of owning an invisibility cloak or cloaking device of some-sort at one point in time or another, such as the one in the recent Harry-Potter movies that dream could be soon to be reality it seems. Would you believe me then if I told you that a certain skyscraper in South Korea is actually attempting to cloak the entire building, surely this really is the stuff of Sci-Fi movies you say. 

Photo by GDS Architects

Well maybe not, it appears that an International Architectural company named GDS Architects have received a construction permit to commence building "The world's first invisible tower" It is further reported that the plans reveal a tower that will stand 450 meters from the ground that's about 1,400 feet and is to be situated in Cheongna near South Korea's Incheon Airport outsider of Seoul.

There isn't a secret formula or paint though so don't expect that invisibility cloak to be stocked at your local retail store any-time soon, instead this invisibility cloak relies on an optical illusion. The tower titled "City Tower" which is also glass encased will if plans go ahead be fitted with high-tech LED façade which integrates projectors and around 18 strategically placed weatherproof cameras. The cameras will take multiple  images in real-time of the area which is directly facing behind the building (on whichever side your current viewpoint is). The images will then be digitally stitched into a panorama and then projects the images back onto the buildings reflective surface. 

So some pretty ingenious ways of utilising current technology in order to create a virtual invisible building and from what is known about this type of technology the idea is pretty much sound. What this does by projecting the images back at the building is that to the naked eye it will be as though you are looking straight through the building as you are seeing a projected image  making it blend into the skyline at certain times of day so a sort of active camouflage. 

Above: Here is a diagram of the principle behind the cloaking technique, image 1 shows the building left to right elevation indicating the camera capture zone , image 2 shows the front camera capture zone, images 3 and 4 show the building with the camera system activated first at 30% power and the last at 100% power. 

Now the obvious safety concerns of such a tower especially with respect to having a building situated so close to a major capital airport (yea you get the picture) is a scary thought, also why would anyone want to cloak an entire building in the first place, especially when you consider both of the country's regions recent turbulent times. 

I mean if you can apply this technique to a massive skyscraper then there will be that person that will say well why can't you apply this to a tank or better still an aircraft, true those types of objects will have motion to deal with but it doesn't seem impossible, which is why I'm genuinely worried about this type of technology seeing the light of day.

The GDS site quoted on the tower by posting the following statement "The tower subtly demonstrates Korea's rising position in the world by establishing its powerful presence through diminishing its presence," "Korea will have the unique position of having the 'best' tower by having an 'anti-tower."

You would think that an invisible tower was enough for most people but not for the people behind this concept as it seems there will also be a 4D theatre, landscaped gardens, a water park and the third highest observation platform in the world.

No word yet however on the completion date for this tower apart form a source indicating a 2014 completion date, so some pretty fascinating if not scary news then, what do you make of South Korea building an invisible tower?