A residential complex of 1,070 homes will be built in the Seongbuk-dong area of Seoul's Seongbuk District. An aging neighborhood that had struggled to redevelop because of steep terrain and height limits imposed to protect nearby cultural heritage is set to be remade into a complex built around its natural and cultural surroundings.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 22nd that it had finalized the fast-track plan for a housing redevelopment project in the Seongbuk-dong 3-38 area. The plan focuses on improving living conditions while taking account of Seongbuk-dong's topography and its natural and cultural environment.
The site sits on the north side of Seongbuk-ro, which climbs from Hansung University Station toward Bugaksan Mountain. Narrow alleys and steep slopes make it difficult to walk or drive through the area, and a severe shortage of parking has added to calls for better living conditions. A redevelopment project launched in 2008 won approval for its implementation plan in 2011, but the project was delayed for years after the redevelopment district was dropped in 2017. Residents later pushed to revive it, and the site was conditionally selected as a fast-track candidate in 2023, with planning beginning this year.
The city plans to upgrade infrastructure such as roads and parks and to improve living conditions by laying out the complex to work with the terrain. Seongbuk-ro 16-gil will be widened first, and an intersection will be reconfigured to allow left turns from Seongbuk-ro, improving vehicle access. Part of Seongbuk-ro 14-gil, which runs through the site, will be closed, and a replacement road will be built on the northern edge of the district. A school route leading to Seongbuk Elementary School will also be upgraded to improve pedestrian safety.
The design will incorporate an elevation difference of up to 61 meters across the site. Terrace houses and shared community facilities will be placed to make use of the slopes and level changes. Taking into account the surrounding low-rise housing and height limits tied to cultural heritage, mid- and low-rise buildings will line the edges of the complex, while buildings of up to 22 stories will stand at the center. Open sections will be set along the north-south axis to preserve a sense of openness and views of Namsan Tower. The plan also includes a public pedestrian passage linking Seongbuk-ro to a park on the northern side, along with an inclined elevator.
A park open to both residents and visitors will also be created. A viewing area looking toward Namsan Tower will be built at the top of the park, and a pedestrian network will connect Seongbuk-ro to the park. Along Seongbuk-ro, street-facing neighborhood retail space will be arranged and building facades given a distinct design to strengthen the continuity and vitality of the streetscape.
The upgrade in zoning also improved the project's financial viability. The plan calls for raising the site from a Class 1 general residential zone to a Class 2 general residential zone. The 2011 redevelopment plan had capped buildings at 11 stories; the new plan adjusts the height limits to allow up to 22 stories while still accounting for the surrounding landscape.
"We drew up this plan with both the surrounding landscape and the project's feasibility in mind, despite difficult conditions including steep terrain and height limits tied to cultural heritage," said Kim Chang-gyu, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Urban Space Bureau. "We will actively support the follow-up procedures so that a comfortable residential complex blending Seongbuk-dong's nature and culture can be built."