Focus on Originality, Public Value, and More
Selected Projects to Receive Consulting and Administrative Support Benefits
Three sites have been selected for the "Urban Architecture Design Innovation" competition, a project aimed at enhancing Seoul's urban appeal and competitiveness.
On July 10, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that 158 Hangang in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu; Tomorrow's Scape in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu; and Sansugyeong in Seongnae-dong, Gangdong-gu have been chosen as the sites for the third Urban Architecture Design Innovation competition. This initiative, which has been underway since 2023, is a policy designed to promote creative architectural design.
The Urban Architecture Design Innovation Committee reviewed five submitted designs and selected three final sites. The main evaluation criteria included originality and aesthetic excellence, plans that encourage free public use, and proposals that incorporate diverse functions to create new spatial structures and utilization methods.
The three selected sites will receive various benefits, such as relaxed floor area and building coverage ratios, expedited administrative support including integrated reviews, and consulting for project implementation. To date, a total of 22 sites are participating in the Urban Architecture Design Innovation project, and all 19 sites selected in the first and second rounds are progressing smoothly.
The 47-story 158 Hangang features exterior and vertical green walls, offering landscaping that exceeds the site's footprint. It includes an open, shared observation space accessible to everyone, not just local residents, significantly enhancing its public character. Tomorrow's Scape was highly rated for connecting the previously separated north and south areas with a public open space, as well as for its rooftop observation park, which is open to citizens. Sansugyeong, inspired by traditional Korean mountains and rivers, maximized public accessibility with three open spaces and a lower level designed to connect with the subway.
Following this competition, the city plans to further promote innovation in private sector architectural design by considering measures such as advance consulting and rolling submissions. Last month, the city also announced the "K-Architecture Culture Comprehensive Support Plan" to showcase the excellence and value of Korean architecture to the world and foster domestic architects.
Lim Changsoo, Director of Future Space Planning for Seoul, stated, "I hope that the design innovation project, implemented in the private sector, will elevate the status of architects, change public perceptions toward outstanding architecture, and help transform the face of Seoul." He added, "We will actively support the smooth implementation of the design innovation project through policies and institutional measures."
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