HDC Hyundai Development "Seoul One to Create New Urban Symbol by Revitalizing Northeast Area"

Seoul One Vision Unveiled at Employee Town Hall Meeting
'Life Culture City' Connected Within 1km of Work and Residence
Wellness Residences and 5-Star Hotel Also Developed

HDC Hyundai Development Company announced its vision to make the Gwangwoon University Station area complex development project, 'Seoul One,' a new symbol of the city.

On the 6th, HDC Hyundai Development Company held the Seoul One vision declaration ceremony titled ‘Seoul One, HDC’s First Step Toward the Future’ at its Yongsan headquarters in Seoul. The ceremony was attended by key executives including CEOs Choi Ik-hoon, Kim Hoe-eon, and Cho Tae-je, along with about 200 employees.

CEO Choi Ik-hoon stated, “Seoul One will become a new symbol of the city and contribute to enhancing Seoul’s global competitiveness, starting with revitalizing the northeastern area.” He added, “Seoul One will be defined and realized in a new way under the motto of Live, Work, Play, focusing on convenience and comfort, connection and convergence, environment and sustainability.”

‘Seoul One,’ a boundary connecting work, residence, and rest as one

The brand ‘Seoul One’ for the Gwangwoon University Station area development project signifies a vast circle encompassing life. It represents a sustainable city where elements of life are fulfilled within a 1 km radius, embodying a grand circle that holds Seoul’s future value and naturally connects work, residence, culture, and rest as one large boundary.

HDC Hyundai Development Company plans to develop Seoul One over approximately 150,000㎡, including residential spaces, hotels, and shopping malls. Seoul One will be realized as a life-culture city that breaks down the boundaries between mixed-use land composed of residential spaces and street malls, and commercial land consisting of offices, hotels, and commercial facilities. The apartment complex Seoul One I-Park, located on the mixed-use land, will consist of six buildings ranging from four basement floors to 47 above-ground floors, with 1,856 units scheduled for sale this month.

The concept of Seoul One I-Park is a super-close smart community that supports a seamless daily life. It is a future-oriented convergence town connecting all elements of life?including apartments, residences, a global 5-star hotel, campus-style offices, and a complex shopping mall?within a 1 km radius. It will be developed as an ‘Urban Green Village’ connected to nearby nature such as small gardens within the complex, street cafes and restaurants, Jungnangcheon Stream, Uicheon Stream, Bulamsan Mountain, and Seon Forest Trail. Terrace spaces and urban complex cultural spaces will serve as central areas encompassing the surrounding region. The smart community will also include features that enhance quality of life, such as open terraces, smart farms, and robot delivery services.

Expanding impact through collaboration... Wellness residences and 5-star hotel included

On the mixed-use land, HDC Hyundai Development Company will also develop a premium wellness residence (768 units) directly operated by the company. It plans to differentiate itself from typical serviced residences by providing meals, housekeeping, and concierge services. In addition to global hotel-level services, medical care and premium wellness programs will be offered. In September, a business agreement was signed with Seoul Asan Medical Center to develop customized healthcare service programs within the Gwangwoon University Station area development site.

HDC Hyundai Development Company is actively pursuing collaboration with external brands to showcase diverse lifestyles at Seoul One. Last month, it signed a main contract with Marriott International, the world’s largest U.S. hotel chain, to introduce a Marriott hotel within the Seoul One complex building. The ‘Marriott Seoul One,’ located within the complex building, will be the first 5-star brand hotel introduced in Seoul’s northeastern area, occupying four floors from the 12th to the 15th floor.

UNStudio and Townscape participate in design

The design of Seoul One is entrusted to the world-renowned architectural firms UNStudio and Townscape. UNStudio collaborates with global experts across various fields including architecture, product design, urban development, and infrastructure. Led by principal architect Ben van Berkel, the firm has successfully completed projects for over 30 years across Asia, Europe, and North America. Townscape is a specialized external space design company active in a wide range of areas including planning and design of parks, green spaces, plazas, streets, and waterways.

During the design process of Seoul One, UNStudio aimed to create a ‘modern 10-minute city’ prioritizing the everyday experiences of its members. The design includes on-site experiences offering various options for how residents can spend their time living, working, and resting. The facade design emphasizes traditional Korean aesthetics, inspired by Korean ink wash paintings. Townscape’s design goal was to create a vibrant landscape where people, the city, and nature coexist. The focus was on creating abundant green spaces not only within the town but extending to the surrounding areas.

At the vision declaration ceremony, HDC Hyundai Development Company emphasized its new vision for the future, ‘Vision 2036.’ Vision 2036 aims to transform the company into a great enterprise that contributes to urban and social growth beyond merely being a profitable company.

CEO Choi Ik-hoon said, “Our path forward is to evolve beyond one-time construction projects of the past into a model that continuously generates profits through development and operation.” He added, “We will focus on specialized metropolitan area urban development and urban renewal projects to grow existing businesses while promoting urban complex developments that reflect lifestyle changes. We will also expand infrastructure through power energy and data center businesses with unique competitiveness in line with the digital paradigm.”