Seocho-dong 'Seoul Playground', Apgujeong-dong 'A Jewel for Seoul', etc.
Incentives Provided Including Floor Area Ratio and Building Coverage Ratio Relaxation
Seoul City announced on the 2nd that it has selected six projects for the ‘Urban Architecture Design Innovation Project,’ which is being promoted to innovate urban architectural design in the private sector.
The selected project sites are Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu’s ‘Seoul Playground,’ Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu’s ‘A jewel for seoul,’ Hangangno 2-ga, Yongsan-gu’s ‘Symbiosis,’ Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu’s ‘stacked city,’ and Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu’s ‘5 Zero Cheongdam Tower.’
A bird's-eye view of 'Seoul Playground' in the Seocho-dong area, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seoul City
SEOUL Playground is an office facility with six basement floors and 38 above-ground floors, and it was evaluated as a work that fully understands the purpose of the innovative design project, including bold structural interpretation, harmony with nature, and clear mass design.
A jewel for seoul is a department store with seven basement floors and eight above-ground floors, receiving high marks for its iconic design and the underground plaza connected to the subway.
Symbiosis is an office facility with six basement floors and 25 above-ground floors, and six basement floors and 28 above-ground floors, praised for its unique building exterior, a garden extending as an outdoor space, and atriums created throughout the interior.
The selected project sites can receive various incentives such as relaxation of floor area ratio and building coverage ratio, expedited administrative support including integrated review, and project promotion consultation.
Kang Byung-geun, the chief architect and chairman of the Seoul Urban Architecture Design Innovation Committee, said, “The Urban Architecture Design Innovation Project is a process of cutting and polishing rough stones to create dazzling jewels, and it will be the pinnacle of urban landscapes that complete a diverse future Seoul.”
The city started the announcement in December last year and received a total of 14 applications by the 5th of last month. On the 30th of last month, the 6th Urban Architecture Design Innovation Committee was held and six projects were selected.
The review was conducted based on guidelines evaluating innovative design. These include ▲designs proposing new directions and fundamental improvements for urban architectural spaces, ▲aesthetic designs that can enhance citizens’ artistic sensibility, ▲proposals of forms, structures, and materials contributing to environmental soundness and human sensibility, ▲active or creative interpretation of harmony with nature and history, and the story of the site and place, ▲plans implementing new spatial structures or usage methods by converging various functions, ▲plans that significantly increase public free use beyond the site boundaries, and ▲plans actively applying advanced technologies that dramatically improve convenience and utility of space use.
The city stated that it will promptly promote expansion plans such as additional competitions or occasional submissions to revitalize design innovation in the private sector even after this competition.
Im Chang-su, Director of Future Space Planning at Seoul City, said, “I hope that the design innovation projects implemented in the private sector will elevate the status of architects, change citizens’ perception of excellent architecture, and become an opportunity to change the face of Seoul,” adding, “We will do our best to ensure that the design innovation projects proceed smoothly in future project promotions.”
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