Mapo-gu Adds Aesthetic Appeal to Safety with 'Transparent Water Barrier Panels'

Introduction of New Transparent Polycarbonate Design Flood Barriers
Resident Satisfaction Increases After Introduction of Transparent Flood Barriers... New Barriers Installed at 897 Locations
Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, "We Will Pursue More Proactive Administration on Matters Directly Related to Safety"

Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) has improved the design of flood prevention panels installed in semi-basement houses with innovative ideas, gaining positive responses and applause from residents by ensuring safety as well as enhancing the urban aesthetics.

The flood prevention panel is a facility that blocks rainwater entering through windows and doors of semi-basement houses, and its installation is essential to prepare for the heavy rainy season and typhoons.

However, the existing flood prevention panels made of opaque aluminum gave a suffocating feeling as if blocked, and had elements that impaired aesthetics such as blocking natural light and view, causing building owners to refuse installation. As a result, cases of tenants suffering flood damage during heavy rain were frequent.

In response, Mapo-gu, after deep consideration, started producing transparent flood prevention panels made of polycarbonate last year and installed them in vulnerable households prone to flooding.

The effect of the transparent flood prevention panels was remarkable. After Mapo-gu promoted the design improvement of the flood prevention panels, residents’ satisfaction greatly increased, and inquiries about installation also rose, resulting in the installation of new flood prevention panels at as many as 897 locations. Tenants were able to prevent flood damage in advance, and building owners could maintain the aesthetics of their homes, achieving both goals.

This year, Mapo-gu plans to apply the new design of transparent flood prevention panels to newly installed houses to ensure safety and improve urban aesthetics.

Furthermore, to respond swiftly to rapidly changing weather conditions such as typhoons and heavy rain during the summer, Mapo-gu has established a comprehensive flood and wind disaster countermeasure plan and operates a disaster safety headquarters and neighborhood community center flood prevention teams to fully prepare for flood and wind disasters.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “Although flooding can be prevented with just one flood prevention panel, we could not stand by while installations were refused due to aesthetic concerns, so we actively introduced transparent flood prevention panels. Mapo-gu will carry out more proactive administration on matters directly related to residents’ safety to create a ‘365-day Safe Mapo.’”