[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The 'Gangil Bus Public Garage' in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, which used to see around 200 buses coming and going daily, is being transformed into a compact city that combines a large urban forest about 3.5 times the size of a soccer field, housing for approximately 1,000 young adults and newlywed couples, and living SOC (social overhead capital) facilities.
On the 24th, Seoul City announced the winning entry of the international design competition for the blueprint of Gangil Compact City, titled 'Compactθ.' The winning team will be granted the rights for basic and detailed design. The city aims to approve the housing construction plan and complete detailed design by early next year, begin construction in the second half of 2021, and complete the development by 2024.
The winning design proposed a compact city on a 35,804㎡ site featuring a sloped urban forest rising from the nearby residential area (east side) toward the urban expressway (west side). Various facilities are arranged three-dimensionally underground and above ground, centered around the urban forest.
The sloped urban forest will cover 25,000㎡, accounting for 70% of the site area. It will naturally connect the nearby residential area with Gangil Compact City and serve as a natural sound barrier blocking noise from the urban expressway. The bus garage beneath the urban forest will be built as a 'smart garage' equipped with advanced air conditioning systems and renewable energy.
Above the park, a total of 945 Happy Housing units designed for young adults and newlywed couples will be constructed. The three buildings, up to 29 stories high, will have sufficient spacing between them to maximize the openness of the park. The first to third floors of the buildings will house living SOC facilities such as sports facilities and libraries, accessible to both residents and local community members.
The international design competition was held with 25 teams participating. Since Gangil Compact City is a new urban space model that transforms the existing bus garage into a three-dimensional space, the judging focused on ▲innovative spatial planning ▲creative architectural design ▲pleasant and eco-friendly open space planning. To ensure fairness, the judging process was broadcast live on social media.
The park was designed with a slope to allow easy access for everyone and to maintain uninterrupted pedestrian flow.
The Happy Housing, targeting young adults and newlywed couples, was designed with unit plans considering residents' lifestyles, a core system maximizing spatial flexibility, and vertically expanded community bands to make meeting, communication, and interaction central to life. The three buildings, ranging from 24 to 29 stories, reduce the number of buildings and maximize the distance between them to enhance the openness of the park. The north-facing units are planned to secure views of the Han River.
Essential living facilities such as sports facilities, children's playgrounds, and libraries, as well as community-oriented facilities like a senior center and startup support center, are also included to improve the quality of life for local residents. Detailed spatial plans will be discussed later by a resident council formed as a governance body.
For the bus garage, the parking facilities are located underground, while boarding and alighting areas, management, and support facilities are arranged above ground according to their functions. The independence of the Happy Housing is secured while appropriately linking with the living SOC. Maintenance and painting spaces are placed indoors to prevent complaints related to noise and dust, and advanced air conditioning systems and renewable energy applications improve indoor working conditions during extreme cold and heat, reducing facility operating costs.
Meanwhile, the existing bus garage will be relocated to an underground and indoor garage (from basement level 1 to ground level 1). While maintaining garage functions, noise and exhaust generated from the garage will be spatially blocked at the source, so they will not affect the park and residential spaces above.
Kim Seyong, President of SH Corporation, said, "This project is a new initiative to create a compact city combining various urban functions. We expect the area around the Gangil-dong garage site to transform into a vibrant city full of youth and energy."
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