Sinsa-dong Garosugil Designated as 'Special Street Zone' with Relaxed Sunlight Rights Regulations

Gangnam-gu, Expecting Creative Building Design and Commercial Area Revitalization

Gangnam-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) announced on the 17th that Sinsa-dong Garosugil (area 667-13, Sinsa-dong, 82,887㎡) has been designated as a special street zone with relaxed sunlight rights regulations for the first time in the country. This area, which had many restrictions on building use due to existing regulations, has now laid the foundation for a new leap forward.

A building on Garosugil in Sinsa-dong subject to sunlight rights regulation. Provided by Gangnam-gu.

The buildings on Garosugil have been classified as residential areas (Garosugil: Type 2 General Residential Area, Apgujeong Roadside: Type 3 General Residential Area) and have been subject to sunlight rights regulations. According to Article 61 of the Building Act, buildings under 10m must be set back at least 1.5m from the adjacent land boundary line, and portions exceeding 10m must secure a distance of at least half the height.

In other words, from the third floor upwards, each floor must secure a sunlight diagonal distance equal to half the building height, resulting in a stepped building shape. This means that floors above the first and second cannot be properly utilized, significantly reducing their usability as commercial spaces.

The Garosugil area consists of 27 residential buildings and 145 commercial buildings, with a strong commercial character, but upgrading the zoning designation was realistically difficult. To solve this problem, the district found a breakthrough by designating it as a special street zone. This is the first case nationwide where a special street zone was designated to address the issues of an area that is practically commercial and to relax sunlight rights regulations.

In cooperation with Seoul City, the district decided on a district unit plan for this area in April last year, and on the 5th of this month, announced the designation of building lines overlapping with building limit lines (1?3m). Subsequently, on the 6th, the special street zone designation was officially announced.

With the designation of the special street zone, building height and sunlight rights regulations are relaxed or exempted, making it easier to extend or remodel existing buildings. Whether and to what extent regulations are relaxed based on the degree of sunlight rights impact is determined through review by the district building committee. Matters such as building shape, color, layout, landscaping, and management of setback spaces are managed according to the district unit plan private sector implementation guidelines.

The special street zone designation allows for linear building designs, increases the usability of existing commercial buildings, and raises expectations for revitalizing the commercial district. Garosugil, adjacent to Dosan Park, is considered one of Gangnam's representative tourist attractions. Through this designation, creatively designed buildings will be newly constructed, reorganizing the landscape of Garosugil and serving as an opportunity to invigorate the local economy.

District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong said, “This measure is a model case that solved the chronic problem of limiting regional development with creative ideas without being trapped by regulations,” and added, “I hope that beautiful and unique buildings will become new symbols of Garosugil and revitalize the stagnant commercial district.”

Map of Garosugil subject to application. Provided by Gangnam-gu.