[Seoul's Future] "A Skyline Full of Splendor"... Seoul's Face That Rivals Developed Countries

Seville, a city in southern Spain, is famous as the birthplace of flamenco and bullfighting. However, travelers visiting Seville most want to see one architectural structure above all else. It is the world’s largest wooden structure, the Metropol Parasol. This building, also called the "Mushroom of Andalusia" due to its six giant mushroom-shaped columns supporting a massive upper structure, resembles a colossal piece of sculptural art.

The building houses a panoramic terrace offering city views, as well as restaurants, bars, a central plaza, and a local market. In 2004, the design by German architect J?rgen Mayer Hermann was selected through a competition, and upon its completion in 2011, Metropol Parasol became the new face of Seville. It is regarded as a must-see architectural landmark by travelers and has played a key role in boosting the city’s competitiveness.

The origin of this building dates back to 1973 with the "Encarnaci?n Square Redevelopment Project." At that time, the Seville government modeled its efforts on the success of Bilbao, a city in northern Spain. Bilbao is famous for the Guggenheim Museum, which was created through urban regeneration. Once a dying city after the Industrial Revolution, Bilbao became a renowned tourist destination after opening the Guggenheim Museum to the public in 1997, attracting visitors worldwide. Approximately 4 million tourists visited in the first three years, generating an estimated economic impact of around 500 million euros (about 650 billion KRW). This phenomenon gave rise to the term "Bilbao Effect," referring to how a single innovative building or landmark can enhance regional competitiveness.

There are many examples where a well-designed building creates a competitive city. This applies not only to small cities but also to large metropolitan areas. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon believes that even a metropolis like Seoul can enhance its global competitiveness through innovative architecture.

Enhancing Seoul’s Urban Competitiveness with ‘Well-Built Architecture’

Mayor Oh presented a vision of Seoul’s transformation through the "Great Hangang Project." This project is a rebirth of the "Hangang Renaissance" initiative he promoted in 2007, aiming to raise Seoul’s urban competitiveness by establishing cultural, artistic, and leisure landmarks along the Han River. Plans include installing the world’s largest ring-shaped Ferris wheel, the Seoul Ring, at Sky Park, building a second Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Yeouido Park, and constructing gondolas along the Han River.

Mayor Oh also expressed ambitions to go further. Beyond a single "well-built building," he envisions creating a dazzling skyline across the entire metropolis. The plan involves boldly easing reconstruction regulations and offering incentives such as increasing the floor area ratio (FAR) cap by up to 1.2 times for architecturally distinctive buildings, aiming to transform the current monotonous Han River landscape, which resembles rows of matchboxes. He explained, "The amount of FAR relaxation will be determined considering public contributions such as green spaces and shared spaces, as well as design and public interest factors like view corridors and harmonious skyline formation."

He added, "Major cities worldwide like Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Bilbao in Spain utilize innovative architectural designs as regional landmarks in diverse ways, but Seoul’s creative architecture has been hindered by building coverage and FAR regulations. We will overhaul various systems and administrative procedures to promote the spread of innovative designs."

Intensifying Silent Megacity Battles: New York’s Hudson Yards and Paris’s La D?fense

Aerial view after completion of Hudson Yards under construction on the west side of Manhattan Island, New York
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

As Mayor Oh mentioned, "New urbanism" has already become a global trend. With the intensifying megacity competition that determines national competitiveness, countries worldwide are focusing their efforts on urban innovation and enhancing competitiveness. Urban planning experts advise that Seoul should establish a master plan to serve as a turning point for strengthening national competitiveness. They emphasize the need to analyze the successful urban development cases of cities like New York and Paris from multiple perspectives and apply the lessons to Seoul’s development.

For example, in New York City, one of the world’s leading cities, the largest-ever private development project, "Hudson Yards," is underway. Since 2012, this project has been redeveloping 113,000 square meters of former railroad yard along the Hudson River. With a total budget of $25 billion (about 30 trillion KRW), Hudson Yards is being built on a site roughly the size of 13 football fields between 30th and 34th Streets and 10th and 12th Avenues in Manhattan’s west side. Although still incomplete, Hudson Yards is expected to emerge as New York’s new center upon completion.

The "30 Hudson Yards" building, part of Hudson Yards, features the highest observation deck in New York and has already become a city landmark. Standing 390 meters tall, it surpasses the nearby Empire State Building and is poised to become New York’s new iconic observation point. Additionally, the Vessel, an observation structure with 2,500 interwoven stairs resembling a honeycomb, and The Shed, a 18,580-square-meter art center hosting world-class performances, have become landmarks. The skyline of high-rise buildings along the riverbank is also a symbol representing New York.

In Europe, Paris’s La D?fense is recognized globally as a successful new town development case. La D?fense is a large commercial district in the northwest of the ?le-de-France metropolitan area. Since high-rise buildings are not allowed in central Paris, La D?fense was developed with over 70 skyscrapers, parks, and residential areas. Once a quiet suburb with small villages and factories until World War II, it now hosts 1,500 companies and 180,000 workers, making it the largest mixed-use commercial district in Europe.

Known as "Paris’s Manhattan," La D?fense features numerous high-rise buildings rarely seen in central Paris. It connects the Arc de Triomphe in the old city with the Grande Arche in the new town along a single axis, becoming a symbol that attracts tourists. Furthermore, all transportation facilities such as roads, subways, railways, and parking lots are located underground to facilitate easy transfers and connections, while the surface is dedicated to pedestrian-only spaces. This maximizes traffic efficiency and space utilization, elevating the city’s level.

Tokyo, Singapore, and Other Asian Cities Leading Skyline Construction

A panoramic view of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel area in Singapore, recognized as a world-renowned tourist attraction [Photo by AFP, Yonhap News]

It is not only Europe striving to enhance metropolitan competitiveness. In Asia, Tokyo, Japan, has created a forest of high-rise buildings through urban regeneration. The Marunouchi area, located between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda Ward, is surrounded by buildings such as the Marunouchi Building, Shin-Marunouchi Building, and the central post office building "KITTE." The nearby East Yaesu area features dazzling high-rise buildings including the "Grand Tokyo."

Tokyo’s skyline has dramatically changed over the past decade as the Japanese government attracted private developers by offering incentives such as relaxed floor area ratios and tax benefits. As a result, Tokyo now boasts numerous residential and commercial high-rise buildings around 40 stories tall with outstanding designs, showcasing grandeur. The 63-story, 390-meter-tall "Tochi Building" is scheduled for completion within this year.

Singapore, which Mayor Oh cited as a model for innovative architectural design, also has an attractive skyline. The "Marina One" complex, a mixed-use development for residential, tourism, and international business, is home to the world-famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Marina One applied the "White Site" land-use regulation, which imposes no restrictions, allowing ultra-high-density development with a floor area ratio of 1300% (from four basement levels to 34 floors above ground) and elegant architectural design. Singapore’s success in tourism growth, despite limited natural resources, is attributed to decades-long long-term planning to create landmarks. In the 1960s and 1970s, Singapore expanded basic infrastructure such as airports, resorts, zoos, and convention facilities.

Seoul’s "Beyond Zoning," announced this year, is Korea’s version of the White Site. Beyond Zoning is a system that promotes flexible and mixed land use by maintaining the designated purposes of zoning districts while considering regional characteristics for efficient urban space utilization. Once implemented, it will enable flexible and integrated development without being constrained by land use for residential, commercial, office, or leisure purposes.

Experts Call for Long-Term Master Plan to Shape Seoul’s Skyline

Experts suggest that Seoul needs a forward-looking master plan to build its skyline. Lee Sang-heon, a professor at Konkuk University Graduate School of Architecture, said, "A master plan is needed to show the basis and principles for allowing building heights and floor counts. The key is to create a landscape management plan suitable for Seoul rather than blindly adopting advanced country cases." Kang Byung-geun, Seoul’s chief architect, emphasized, "Seoul has never had a long-term plan despite rapid growth. Now is the time to draft a master plan for what our city Seoul should look like 100 years from now."

There are optimistic views that the abolition of the "35-floor rule," applied since 2014, will allow for diverse design proposals. Lee Eun-hyung, a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Construction Policy, noted, "The main purpose of the 2009 'Hangang Renaissance Project' was not to create a magnificent skyline by increasing building heights but to develop the Han River area through donations from riverside apartments and improve public accessibility."

Lee added, "If the previous floor area ratio is maintained, designs preserving Han River views will likely be applied, reducing building coverage ratios. This could prevent the negative effects of high-density development, such as 'screen apartments' or 'Hong Kong-style apartments,' which have been criticized, thus positively impacting residential environments."