Bucheon City Benchmarks 'Special Architectural Zone'... Kicks Off Architectural Design Innovation

Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 16th that it recently visited Busan City to benchmark the 'Special Architectural Zone Revitalization Pilot Project.'

This visit was conducted to review Busan City's leading system operation methods and achievements ahead of Bucheon City's upcoming 'Architectural Design Innovation Pilot Project' competition scheduled for this year, with the aim of actively referencing these practices in Bucheon City's policies.

The 'Special Architectural Zone' is a designated area under the Building Act to promote the creation of harmonious and creative buildings. Busan City has applied this system to encourage creative architecture and improve the urban landscape in harmony with local characteristics.

Benchmarking Busan City's 'Special Architectural Zone' Nampo-dong Harbor Town. Provided by Bucheon City

Bucheon City plans to use Busan City's operational case as a reference to promote the creation of creative buildings that reflect local characteristics and identity. In particular, through the '2026 Architectural Design Innovation Pilot Project' competition, the city intends to designate outstanding design buildings as special architectural zones and provide various benefits such as easing floor area ratio and building-to-building distance regulations.

Additionally, following a benchmarking visit to Seoul City in December last year to study urban and architectural design innovation projects, Bucheon City is now further detailing its pilot project plans for this year through the Busan visit. The city is especially focusing on reviewing measures to simplify administrative procedures and relax regulations.

Jang Hwansik, Director of Housing at Bucheon City, stated, "We plan to hold a briefing session for the pilot project competition in the first half of the year and select the target sites in the second half," adding, "We will establish an institutional foundation for urban design innovation and strive to strengthen urban competitiveness through architecture."