‘Global Architect Vision’ Becomes Reality... Busan City Holds Creative Architecture Contest for Private Proposals

June 1 to 7, Implementation of the Innovative Architectural Design Proposal System 'Special Architectural Zone Activation Pilot Project'

Announcement of about 5 pilot project sites in June, planned final selection through world-renowned architects'

Busan City will hold a public contest for the ‘Special Architectural Zone Activation Pilot Project’ sites from the 1st to June 7th.

Busan City Hall.

The ‘Special Architectural Zone Activation Pilot Project’ is one of the private sector-led innovative architectural design proposal systems promoted as part of the ‘2030 Busan Architecture and Urban Design Innovation Plan,’ which aims to create a global hub city Busan where citizens are happy and people from around the world visit.

Last September, the city announced the ‘2030 Busan Architecture and Urban Design Innovation Plan’ and has been steadily implementing plans to create a global hub city where citizens are happy and people worldwide want to visit.

In February, the city appointed world-renowned architect Winy Maas as an honorary advisory architect and is promoting architectural design innovation in Busan. Amid this, the city is launching this pilot project for a design competition featuring world-class architects based on private proposals.

For the selected sites through this contest, administrative support will be provided to ensure that innovative and creative designs by ‘world-class architects’ can be realized, including ▲relaxation or exemption of various architectural regulations ▲partial support for planning and design fees ▲simplification of procedures.

‘World-class architects’ will be selected either by private project operators from domestic and international architects or from a talent pool organized by the ‘Busan International Architecture Festival,’ a supporting organization of this project.

To enable the realization of their designs, restrictions such as ▲landscaping of the site ▲building coverage ratio ▲open space within the site ▲height restrictions of buildings and securing sunlight will be excluded, and ▲the floor area ratio will be relaxed up to 1.2 times the maximum floor area ratio stipulated in the Enforcement Decree of the National Land Planning and Utilization Act.

The pilot project sites cover the entire Busan area, and anyone who secures land use rights and wishes to construct innovative buildings through planning and design by world-class architects can apply.

Applications for the contest can be submitted on the city’s design competition website until June 7th.

The city plans to select about five pilot project sites and announce them in June, then receive planning and design proposals involving world-class architects by September for final selection.

The selection of sites and final planning and design proposals will be decided through evaluations by the separately established ‘Future Architecture Innovation Committee.’

Mayor Park Hyung-jun said, “We ask for the interest and participation of citizens in this contest so that world-class buildings can be constructed, creating a city where citizens are happy and a city Busan that people worldwide want to visit.” He added, “Going forward, our city will do its best to establish standards for Busan-style architecture and continuously build harmonious and creative buildings.”