Seoul to ease regulations to promote creative design

Social Affairs

Published: 09 Feb. 2023, 18:32

Seoul to ease regulations to promote creative design

A sunset observatory design concept for Nodeul Island provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Seoul city government said it will significantly lift regulatory restrictions, including the floor area ratio and the building-to-land ratio, for creatively designed buildings that become major landmarks.

The city will first apply the regulatory changes to transform Nodeul Island in the middle of the Han River.

Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday announced a plan in turn the nation’s capital into a city of innovative architectural design.

Seoul said it will benchmark the innovative designs incorporated into the Dutch city of Rotterdam, which attracts 10 million tourists and generates around 800 billion won (over $630 million) a year through tourism, as well as Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, which attracts 1.3 million tourists and makes 100 billion won a year.

seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon during a press briefing in Seoul on Thursday regarding the city's new innovative design plan. [YONHAP]

Referring to a trip to Europe last year, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said at a press conference Thursday, “Looking at the unique and symbolic buildings in major European countries including France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, I thought about why it's so difficult for our city to build such attractive buildings.

“It’s because of regulations that make it difficult.”

He stressed that the goals of innovative architectural design are to improve quality of life, resolve urban problems and enhance the city’s competitiveness.

“Yet we haven’t had a building with innovative design since Dongdaemun Design Plaza, while monotonous buildings cover Seoul,” Oh said.

Under the theme “Iconic City,” Seoul's government hopes to turn Korea's capital into a major tourism destination with 30 million visitors by 2030 and make the city one of the world's top five in terms of urban design and architectural.

Oh said various regulations have hindered architectural design in Seoul, including restrictions on the floor-area ratio and policies that emphasize conservation of older buildings.

“In the case of public buildings, standardized construction costs are applied, resulting in the construction of standardized buildings,” Oh said. “Various regulations are preventing innovation.”

Oh stressed that tight construction budgets and too much regulation result in potentially creative designs going bad.

"Projects are often delayed through the many complicated evaluation processes," Oh said. "This often changes or distorts the original design. You draw a dragon, but you end up with a snake, and sometimes a tiger ends up a kitten."

Seoul city plans to increase the floor-to-area ratio by 120 percent, which would help architects erect more creative and innovative buildings by allowing designers to raise the height of structures.

However, the additional ratio allowed will be determined accordingly to the design and public interest.

The city government said it will be push ahead with nine test projects, including four on public properties.

The public projects include Nodeul Island, the proposed second branch of Sejong Art Center, the former Seongdong Detention Center and public parking space at Suseo Station.

Seoul's plan for Nodeul Island kicked off in December with seven leading architects from around the world submitting designs to the city's competition.

Competing are Seoul National University professor and Society of Architecture member Kang Yerin, The System Lab CEO Kim Chan-joong, Na Un-chung and Yoo Sorae from Namelss Architecture, Shin Seung-soo of Designgroup OZ Architects, the Bjarke Ingels Group from Denmark, German architect Jurgen Mayer and Heatherwick Studio from the U.K.

Bjarke Ingels designed the iconic CopenHill, the waste-to-energy plant with a ski slope, while Thomas Heatherwick designed the world-renowned Vessel in New York. Jurgen Mayer designed the famous Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain.

“The Metropol Parasol in Seville is the world’s largest wooden building,” Oh said. “The building known as the mushroom of Seville has historic remains in its basement, while a traditional market and a square strike a harmonized balance.”

“The view of Seville from the roof at sunset is still vivid in my memory,” Oh added.

The mayor said Seoul plans to turn Nodeul Island into a landmark just like ones overseas, where visitors can enjoy a mixture of nature, arts and other experiences.

The Seoul mayor said the city government will allow the construction of high-rise apartments, too, if they boast innovative designs.

“We will push for an apartment policy that ends matchbox-like apartments,” Oh said. “We will work so that apartments will be buildings with outstanding design.”

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]