Experts to Oversee Public Architecture in Bucheon, Yangju, and Gyeongbuk

On the 13th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that Bucheon-si and Yangju-si in Gyeonggi Province, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Cheonan-si in Chungnam Province were selected for the second round of the 2025 private expert support public offering project. Busan, Yangju, and Cheongju-si in Chungbuk were selected as support targets for establishing urban architectural design plans.

This project is a system that helps the activities of general planners introduced by local governments to improve the design quality of public architecture. Private experts support the establishment of major urban architectural space design policies and strategies upon appointment by the heads of local governments.

The general planner of Bucheon-si is responsible for setting appropriate budgets and periods for each public architecture project, rational design, and securing design quality. They advise on public projects such as the Bucheon Daejang and Yeokgok public housing districts. Yangju-si focuses on strengthening the design competitiveness of public buildings.

Gyeongbuk forms a dedicated team to support the general planner, while also obtaining advice from basic local governments on integrated architecture and urban planning, including the Millennium Architecture pilot village. Cheonan-si plans to professionally manage the overall project system and prepare public architecture design and ordering plans together with the general planner.

Aerial Photo of Bucheon Daejang Area

As for the urban architectural design plan establishment support projects, the selected targets include a project in Busan that utilizes publicly announced land as open spaces and green areas with resident participation, a plan in Yangju to reorganize individual projects such as industrial complexes and station areas by integrating regional identity, and a plan in Cheongju to overcome urban hollowing and plan comprehensive architectural design for eup and myeon areas.

Since 2019, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has appointed general planners and supported 3.9 billion KRW for 72 local governments. For the establishment of urban architectural design plans, 50 local governments received 7.9 billion KRW in support. Lee Byung-min, Director of the Architectural Culture and Landscape Division at the Ministry, said, "General planners cover not only architecture but also urban and architectural landscapes, playing a comprehensive coordinating role," and added, "We will establish an institutional foundation to support the activities of general planners in policies and projects, including the third basic plan for architectural asset promotion to be established this year."