[Public Voices] Creating Beautiful Waterfront Landscapes in Seoul

The Importance of the "Hangang Tributary Renaissance"
Anticipation for "Hangang Renaissance Season 2"

Kang Byung-geun, Chief Architect of Seoul City, is being interviewed on the 27th at the Chief Architect's Office in Seoul City Hall. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Human life is conceived in water. Climate change also begins with water. Water constantly flows and changes to maintain balance. The coexistence with waterfronts creates beautiful landscapes. Korea's natural scenery, with its waterfronts and mountains, is worthy of being humanity's 'natural heritage.' Nowhere else on the globe is there such beautiful nature where living spaces and waterfronts are directly connected.

However, the harmonious waterfront landscapes, which are perfectly balanced, are not truly valued by Koreans. The value of the given 'beauty of waterfront landscapes' is ignored or not recognized as an object of aesthetic consideration, and there is a misconception that only the artificial 'urban (architectural) landscapes' they create can newly generate all aesthetic added value.

The natural curved waterways, which nature created to regulate the flow speed of water by itself, are straightened under the name of flood control (治水) to increase speed; concrete walls are built along the water's edge to create roads; private property barriers are erected to monopolize the landscape, thereby eliminating the beauty of walking while viewing the water.

To make waterfront landscapes beautiful, the areas where water touches must be left so that nature can create beauty on its own. Unlike special areas that emphasize 'original preservation' such as 'nature reserves,' cities must be cultivated for harmony to become healthy and more beautiful, allowing the true 'value of waterfronts' to stand out. It is the duty of those who benefit to cultivate and develop waterfronts to be beautiful and most prominent.

Nowhere else on the globe has as much diversity in waterfront landscapes as Seoul. By positioning waterfronts from the outskirts of urban architectural spaces to the center, and making them places for rest, playgrounds, meetings, and regional economic revitalization?centers of living spaces?Seoul citizens can experience the benefits not only with their eyes but also with their hearts.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's Hangang Renaissance has started its 'Season 2,' beginning again from small streams, passing through tributaries, and connecting to the Hangang River. If waterfronts are reorganized as central spaces of urban architecture, Seoul's treasures, which were previously hidden, discarded, or piled up by the water's edge because people did not want to see them, will come to the hearts of our citizens and the world and shine. To this end, Seoul City is planning a pilot project where 25 district offices publicly compete on how to transform their respective waterfronts into centers of citizens' living spaces.

Many countries have beautiful nature with little seasonal change. However, few countries create such distinctly different beautiful natural landscapes in spring, summer, autumn, and winter as Korea does. Yet, Seoul citizens who can enjoy seasonal changes must go on outings named spring excursions, summer retreats, autumn foliage viewing, and winter snow watching to feel the changes of the seasons and see the beauty.

It would be sad if our ancestors, who enjoyed the seasonal beauty changing through the small streams near their homes and villages and the Hangang River with all five senses, knew this. We look forward to the day when the beautiful urban landscape that changes with the four seasons through waterfront changes will be engraved in the hearts of Seoul citizens like the 'fragrance of time.'

Kang Byung-geun, Chief Architect of Seoul City