[Future of Yongsan] The Masterpiece of Kang Byung-geun, Renowned Architect for the Disabled

Design of Geoje Aegwangwon and Gapyeong Woori Village
Contributed to the introduction of subway screen doors and traffic light remaining time indicators

Kyunggang Byung-geun, the Chief Architect of Seoul Metropolitan City, is also an authority on architecture for people with disabilities in Korea. He graduated from Konkuk University with a degree in Architectural Engineering in 1978 and earned a master's degree in Architectural Engineering from the same university's graduate school in 1980. He later specialized in architecture for people with disabilities at the Berlin Institute of Technology in Germany. Kyunggang was the first to introduce the concept of architecture for people with disabilities in Korea. Currently, he serves as the Director of the Barrier-Free Living Environment Research Institute, a private member of the Planning Team for the Development of Disability Welfare under the Prime Minister's Office, a member of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Committee for the Construction of Comprehensive Sports Facilities for People with Disabilities, a research member of the Korea Blind Welfare Association, a member of the University Disabled Students Education Welfare Facility Survey and Evaluation Committee, and a member of the Disability Awareness Improvement Support Project Review Committee.

Kang Byung-geun, Chief Architect of Seoul Metropolitan Government, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at Seoul City Hall on the 4th. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

‘Aegwangwon (1986)’, a residential facility for people with disabilities located in Geoje City, Gyeongnam Province, is one of his representative works. Aegwangwon, composed of several small houses with red roofs and white walls, was designed so that the indoor spaces offer a panoramic view of the sea in front of Jangseungpo. Other facilities for people with disabilities designed and built by Kyunggang include the ‘Seongil Disabled Welfare Center (2003)’ in Seocheon County, Chungnam Province, and ‘Gapyeong Uri Village (2015?2021)’ in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province.

Aegwangwon Dandelion House, Geoje-si, Gyeongnam

Gapyeong Uri Village, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province

He argues that not only facilities for people with disabilities but the entire city should aim for ‘barrier-free’ environments, which remove physical and institutional barriers to make spaces accessible for people with disabilities. Based on this idea, he was the first to advocate for the introduction of ‘screen doors’?doors that separate subway tracks from platforms. Originally intended to prevent falls by visually impaired individuals, these screen doors now effectively serve as safety devices preventing falls for all passengers.

Kyunggang’s influence can also be seen in the installation of pedestrian crossing signal countdown timers, subway transfer elevators, and low-floor buses. He drafted the initial version of the ‘Act on the Promotion of Convenience Facilities for the Elderly, Pregnant Women, and Disabled Persons’ enacted in 1997, which provided the legal basis for introducing these facilities.

Oedo Botania, Geoje-si, Gyeongnam.

Gyeonggi Gapyeong-gun 'French Cultural Village (Petite France)'

In addition, he led major projects. Kyunggang directly participated in the design of ‘Oedo Botania (1993?2002)’ located within Hallyeohaesang National Park in Sacheon City, Gyeongnam Province, ‘French Cultural Village (Petit France, 2002?2003)’ in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, and ‘Jeju Eco Land (2003?2016)’ in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City.