The area around Changsin-dong and Sungin-dong in Jongno-gu, known as a representative underdeveloped district in downtown Seoul, will be transformed into a residential complex with a scale of 2,000 households.
On the 5th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it had finalized the rapid integrated planning proposal for the Changsin-dong 23 and Sungin-dong 56 areas. Earlier, the city held a residents' briefing session last month regarding the candidate sites for the Changsin and Sungin housing redevelopment projects.
The Changsin-dong 23 and Sungin-dong 56 area covers a total of 104,853㎡ and is a hilly terrain surrounded on three sides by the Hanyang Fortress Wall and Naksan Hill. Due to the steep slopes, the transportation and residential environment are very poor. Although a New Town (reconstruction promotion project) had been pursued since 2007, the designation was canceled in 2013, causing setbacks. Subsequently, it was designated as Seoul’s first urban regeneration pilot area aimed at improving the aging residential environment, but the physical improvements in housing supply and infrastructure were insufficient, leading to accumulated dissatisfaction among residents.
Location map of the rapid integrated planning redevelopment project area in Changsin-dong 23 and Sungin-dong 56 [Data provided by Seoul City]
Through the rapid integrated planning, Seoul plans to transform this area into a hillside-specialized urban residential complex. First, facilities with low usage or those left unattended will be relocated and integrated to increase the utility and capacity of public facilities. Additionally, considering the surroundings, the zoning will be upgraded from Type 2 (7 floors) to Type 2 residential (with the area around Changsin Station designated as Type 3 residential), and the complex facility plan will encourage revitalization around Changsin Station.
A three-dimensional pedestrian walkway will be constructed from Changsin Station to the west of the Chaeseokjang Observatory and the east of Sungin Neighborhood Park to improve pedestrian accessibility to nearby subway stations. Until now, the area’s maximum elevation difference reached 70 meters, making it difficult for vulnerable pedestrians such as the elderly and children to move around. The plan includes sufficient vertical circulation within the complex, such as escalators, elevators, and ramps, to facilitate easy movement across the steep hills.
Customized living spaces tailored to the terrain and surrounding characteristics have also been created. In connection with pedestrian routes inside and outside the complex, community facilities will be built under decks, and a walking yard linked to nearby parks will be established to enhance residents’ convenience. Furthermore, the area around Changsin Station will feature public facilities and street-type commercial complexes (shops arranged along the road) to improve convenience for local residents and promote regional revitalization.
Moreover, the plan considers the overlapping landscape where buildings are layered along the hillsides, harmonizing with the surrounding Seoul Fortress Wall and Naksan, so that the entire complex can become a new urban landscape of the hillside. A customized height plan has been established for each area considering the hills and surroundings: high-rise buildings near Changsin Station, low-rise near cultural assets and schools such as Cheongryongsa Temple, and mid-to-low-rise on slopes. To ensure open views and vistas throughout the region, two visual corridors connecting the Chaeseokjang Observatory to Sungin Neighborhood Park and Jibong-ro have been created.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated, "Following the rapid integrated planning proposal for Changsin-dong 23 and Sungin-dong 56, we will begin the maintenance plan drafting process and expect to finalize the maintenance plan by the end of this year, significantly shortening the project duration."
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