Seongbuk 1 District to Become Residential Complex with 2,086 Households... Maintenance Plan Decided

Seoul City Urban Planning Committee Passes New Planning Authorization Subcommittee

The redevelopment project of Seongbuk 1 District in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, which had been stagnant for 20 years, is gaining momentum. With the maintenance plan finalized, the aging residential area will be transformed into a residential complex of about 2,000 households.

On the 5th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government held the 5th Urban Planning Committee Rapid Integrated Planning Maintenance Project and the Authorized Subcommittee, and on the 6th announced that the ‘Seongbuk 1 Public Redevelopment Project Maintenance Plan Decision, Maintenance District Designation, and Landscape Review’ was approved with modifications.

The target site is located at 179-68 Seongbuk-dong, an area with hilly terrain and poor residential conditions. Although it was designated as a redevelopment maintenance planned district in 2004, the project progress was slow due to low feasibility. However, the project gained traction after being selected as a public redevelopment candidate site in 2021. Subsequently, Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) participated in the project and requested the establishment of a maintenance plan and designation of the maintenance district that overcame the characteristics of the hilly terrain.

Perspective view of the Seongbuk 1 District public redevelopment project in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seoul City

With the approval of this district designation plan, a residential complex with a minimum of 4 floors and a maximum of 30 floors, totaling 2,086 households (including 418 rental housing units), will be developed in the area. The weighted average floor area ratio of the maintenance district, where multiple zoning types are mixed, was decided to be no more than 204.87%.

To connect with nearby schools and pedestrian routes, public pedestrian paths and school routes will be created in the north-south direction. Utilizing level differences, community facilities and underground parking lots will be established, and through a nature-friendly landscaping design plan, a community space will be provided for residents within the complex and the local community.

Additionally, a central entrance plaza considering the streetscape of Seongbuk-ro will be planned to create open spaces linked with pedestrian paths. Public parking lots and cultural facilities, which are redundantly designated underground in the park, have been incorporated into the maintenance plan to strengthen public accessibility.

Considering the characteristics of the hilly terrain, the area has been divided into highland, midland, and areas adjacent to the main road transit station, with zoning gradually set as Type 1, Type 2 seven-story, and Type 2 general residential areas. A height plan arranging low-rise terrace houses considering the surrounding forest, as well as mid-rise and high-rise buildings, was designed to create a harmonious skyline with the surrounding area.

Han Byung-yong, Director of the Housing Policy Office of Seoul City, stated, “With the modified approval of the Seongbuk 1 District maintenance plan, it has become possible to create a quality residential complex in an area where redevelopment was difficult due to poor residential conditions. We expect this to serve as an opportunity to revitalize other maintenance district projects with similar conditions.”