‘Gucheonmyeon-ro Walkable Street Project’
Contributing to Balanced Development of Old and New Downtown Areas
Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu (center in the photo), and related department staff are taking a commemorative photo after receiving the award. (Photo by Gangdong-gu Office)
Seoul Gangdong-gu (District Mayor Lee Su-hee) announced on the 20th that it won the grand prize at the '2023 Asia Townscape Awards,' jointly hosted by five organizations including the UN-Habitat Fukuoka Office and the Asia Habitat Association.
The Asia Townscape Awards (ATA) is an international award program held annually since 2010 with the aim of building a happy living environment for Asians. It discovers exemplary or outstanding landscape cases in the Asian region and evaluates and awards cities, regions, and projects.
The grand prize-winning project, the 'Gucheonmyeon-ro Walkable Street Creation Project,' was a three-year initiative completed by 2022 to promote balanced development between the old and new downtown areas, centered around Cheonho-dong. A total of 22 projects were collaboratively implemented by 16 departments.
The district created a safe and pleasant street where residents want to walk by removing utility poles and burying overhead wires along Gucheonmyeon-ro, improving the exterior design of aging buildings and maintaining shop signs, enhancing the landscape of dark alleys, and installing eco-friendly LED streetlights. Additionally, facilities such as the 'Cheonho Aurum Center' providing various health and welfare services, the nation's first municipally operated 'Gangdong Children's Restaurant,' and the 'Youth Darak (多樂) Workshop' supporting youth startups were established, contributing to community and economic revitalization.
Gangdong-gu established public design guidelines based on the representative comb-pattern pottery motifs and colors of the district and applied a consistent image to the Gucheonmyeon-ro street. The project was highly evaluated for its promotion through public-private cooperation. The award ceremony was held on the 17th at the Busan Gyeongam Education and Culture Foundation.
Lee Su-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, "Currently, Gucheonmyeon-ro is regaining vitality through underground wiring and facade and sign improvement projects, and convenience facilities such as the Cheonho Aurum Center and Gangdong Children's Restaurant are playing a key role as regional revitalization hubs. Starting with the new makeover of Gucheonmyeon-ro, we will continue to do our best to create a dignified urban landscape."
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