Introduction Competition Brief
Contents
“Everyone Ages� Every year a one square kilometre territory will be the subject of the competition. This area, to house 100,000 people living and working. This new environment will have a full slate of live-work-play provisions, with the residential component making up to 50% of The objective of the competition is to seek a holistic solution or a new urban paradigm for a rapidly growing Asian city which also faces the issues of sustainability and quality of life that also addresses the increasing aging population in Asian cities
Site: YongSan, Seoul
South Korea
Technical breakdown: Total Site Area: 2.4km2 Population: 240 000 people FAR: 5
Additional information: A competition for the masterplan of Yongsan was won by Daniel Libeskind in 2009. US Military base located directly next to Yongsan will be transformed into a park designed by West 8 & Iroje Architects
Technische Universiteit Delft Team A: Stef Bogaerds, Samuel Liew, Jan Maarten Mulder, Erjen Prins, Claudio Saccucci Email: Mobile:
stefbogaerds@gmail.com +31618652893
Introduction ................................................................................... Research ....................................................................................... Existing conditions.......................................................................... Streets of Seoul.............................................................................. Korean Block .................................................................................. Event Core ............................................................................... Healthcare ............................................................................... Program ........................................................................................ Sustainability.................. ................................................................
3 5 6 8 10 11 11 11 15
The Open Ended City Architecture is by its very nature a product of its
Our aim is to propose a strategy that is able to
community functions
Open Endedness
broader socio–economic in which it is commissioned
retain the authenticity of the city while extending
and designed. It plays the key role in providing a
the dialogue between what is existing and what
urban planning was present in Korea in the form of
and formal gestures, one of the cornerstones of our
culturalised framework for economic transaction as is
is to come. The design primarily focusses on
the school yards, which amidst a sea of tight knit
project is prioritizing the long term growth of Yongsan
the case in most large scale developments which aim
creating conditions and rules that will guide the
developments, were the only open plots. This was
in the design process.
to redevelop areas with the aim to create surplus land
growth of the city.
an interesting overlap because it was not just an
value. Spurred by what has been dubbed the Bilbao
opportunity for a new form of integrated/mixed program
How exactly do cities grow?
effect, developers and city planners have come to
By uncovering and intensifying what is already
utilizing the existing open space, but also because
They usually contract or expand as a result of the
see iconic architecture as playing a central role in
existing. The contextual fabric of the city remains as
of the high priority that Korean society places on
!
attracting such investment in the form of tourism and
the main driver for our strategy.
education; which really made a case for it to become
a result of the program of that place. The sizes of
the heart of these communities. Serving as a catalyst
developments and resulting urban conditions are a
Community
for urban regeneration and growth, these centers will
result of the policies and rules that are set in place by
The idea of community is being explored through
attract more people to live in surrounding areas while
municipalities.
The architect is often depicted as the middleman or
the programmatic circles which are not a formal
serving the people and facilitating exchange.
mediator between the client intent on maximising
gesture, but rather a means to organize programs
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in a meaningful way which would provide for the
Leisure
we aim to preserve qualities that make cities
!
needs of an ever ageing population in a walkable
Among the different user groups that Yongsan is
interesting and at times unpredictable and unique
'
400m radius. The potential of these communities is
aimed at, the leisure seekers going to the newly
places. By doing so, we allow the city to take on a
about satisfying many different parties with just as
that they disperse functions as opposed to creating
formed park and surrounding museums and water
life of its own whilst gently
many different agendas; as it is about materialising a
agglomerations of one particular kind of activity. At
front will liven the whole area and create a buzz
vision for a piece of architecture.
the heart of the communities are the hybrid centers
that most residential neighbourhoods do not have.
which cater for elderly healthcare, schooling and
By creating easy connections to the park and the
big money. Resulting in the production of architecture that is in favour of visually consumable forms.
"
water front from the station, Yongsan will become a conducive place for outdoor activities too.
The Open Ended City
3
Urbanisation
Proposal
South Korea has gone through a period of rapid urbanization from 1960 to 1990, and currently 82% of the population lives in cities while only 18% of the population remains in rural areas.
“There is a saying in Korea: If you sleep for 3 hours a day, you will pass the exam. Sleep for 4 hours, you will fail.�
( !
By 2050 the convergence between the percentage of elderly (38%) and the working class(52%) is quite alarming. However rather than seeing the elderly as a liability, we see
Mckinsey & Company, Korea 2020
an opportunity to address several issues that S.Korea is
the government into the manufacturing sector, with factories located near cities, and people moving to get higher wages. Strong emphasis on education
currently facing. Age 15-25
1. Strengthen and build communities
2. Mobilise women into the workforce
It has become an economic success, and now has the 13th
Age 0-15
3. Integrate Elderly into society by letting them run day care
"
services that free the women to work.
largest economy, and a strong IT and technology based
industry. This can be largely attributed to the hardworking
ethic of the Korean people and the strong emphasis that
4. Organise communities to allow for convenient distribution
Age 25-60
of shops and ammenities, prioritising walkability.
their society places on education, with families spending
Walkable Communities
increasingly more amounts on school fees and extra tuition.
Age 60-75
As people grow older, their ability to travel long distances
!
diminishes, Negative effects of urbanisation
their world grows smaller and smaller. It is
therefore a priority that functions and ammenities be placed 7='QZN
However, the increase in urbanization has been accompanied by social problems, with the country having one of the highest
within a walkable radius of 5minutes, so that people are able
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to continue living in one neighbourhood their whole life without =NG=> [ \
having to move to an elderly home once they get older.
surgery and addiction to computer games & pornography.
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Mckinsey & Company, Korea 2020
Hospital
Food
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Leisure
Hospital
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Culture
=N=X
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House
Religion
Food Religion
Culture
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Leisure
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public space
Work
House
public space
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Education
Transportation
Education Work
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Targets of people to enhance in our community: Elderlies Women Child
Transportation
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Current situation
Organising program
Building Communities
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The Open Ended City
5
Existing conditions
Experience of the site In February, our studio visited YongSan in Seoul,
the
JONGNO
experience on the ground was very different to all the research that we had conducted prior, mainly using google earth and
West side of train station
street view. Train Station YEOUIDO
YONGSAN m 10
in
We discovered that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;siteâ&#x20AC;? was not one cohesive site at all, but rather seperate patches of urban tissue that happened to 20min in
20m TEHERAN
be located within a boundary line that was determined in the competition brief.
The train station was a very large and dominating building
Preservation of Infrastructure
within the landscape of the site. Its sheer size and presence
In addition to preserving buildings, the roads are also going to
blocked the connection between the east and west part of
' ! !
the rail way and was more of an obstruction between the two
connect YongSan to its surroundings.
sides rather than a connector. As such, there were some areas that had old scraggly
Yongsan in its broader context YongSan is situated between the 3 other Central Business Districts in Seoul, namely Jongno, Teheran and Yeouido, and is well connected to them with the current metro system and
buildings and other areas with new high rises. The contrasts were great and varied. We traveled on foot around the site to determine key architectural moments within the area.
We propose to create a better east and west connection by
' ! ! ! (
!
and people that would accompany the new high densities that
both sides, that would serve to unify Yongsan and integrate
are to be accounted for.
the two halves. Preservation of Atmosphere
the proposed monorail. It is located next to a US military base that is going to be transformed into a large park that will be designed by West 8
!
and the Han River, YongSan is in a prime location for leisure activities, providing an escape for people located nearby and
Our proposal seeks to preserve and re-use the buildings on 1. New highrise towers 2. Old low rise shophouses > } ie. Electronic market, National Museum, War Memorial
in the other CBDs.
By analysing and investigating the conditions that surround
Preservation of Buildings
few broad catergories
and Iroje Architects. Due to its central location and proximity to the new park
Preservation
our site, we were able to understand the textural qualities that
make a city interesting and livable. The atmospheres were a
museums and electronic market that had cultural value to
result of the variety of building heights, width of streets, and
the people living around the area and the broader population
the varying amounts of open space. that were present in the
of Seoul. Many of the newer higher rise towers that are
city fabric.
structurally sound and can accommodate large amounts of
Train station.
people, these will also be preserved and re-used.
Existing low rise buildings
Electronic Market
War Memorial
Existing High rise towers
Situating Communities
Organic Community
The site was suitable for the placement of 4 communities on it, each with a walkable radius of 400m, a 5 minutes
By taking the existing fabric as a starting point
walk from the center to the perimeter of each community.
and intensifying and densifying it, we were able to
Policies Organic Neighbourhood 8m existing profile
maintain the cosy and open atmosphere that was Each community will accommodate 50 000 people,
present, and allow for more people to live there.
encompassing an area of 500 000 sqm, with a F.A.R of 5.
existing fabric FAR: 1.5
30 years
intensified fabric FAR: 3.5
As such, we maintained the existing road structure
Existing condition. Buildings to preserve
Organic
Connection to its immediate context
and added several larger roads to allow for higher
Each community will be formed and shaped by the existing
!
conditions on that particular part of the site. It will reinforce the connections that are present and strengthen the links
An old rail track that has been left unused for several
that it has to its surroundings.
years will be transformed into a pedestrian park
i.e. The park, the Han river, the adjacent architectural
connector, tying this community with the train station
fabric.
and allowing for inhabitants to exercise during the
height restr.: 100m (after complete intensification) block cov. : setback: after 5 stories street width: between 15-20 m
â&#x20AC;&#x153;reorganization and intensification of the existing fabricâ&#x20AC;?
day.
By tth he park By the By t bay y
15 m new profile
Resulting in 4 differentiated neighbourhoods as a direct result of 4 different critical adjacencies.
Highris High Hig H Hi iig ghr hrise
The permeability of the block and the informal routes of the surrounding fabric has been continued through
Design Strategy: The Open Ended City
into the neghbourhood, preserving the informal qualities that were characteristic of this area.
Responding to context
As it is impossible to predict the needs of the future citizens ^ ' ! ( urban plan, whilst forging policies and rules that will shape
Organic community
and come to characterise each of the communities. Our proposal, is merely one developmental scenario based on the open framework of urban rules that we have
^ Different policies were implemented in each community to amplify the good qualities of each area whilst creating different environments. Each area and its surroundings was investigated in detail to understandand the urban fabric and for contextual opportunities to enhance the quality of life in each area.
4 Communities responding to 4 different contexts
The key Urban Planning
The Open Ended City
7
Streets of Seoul
On our visit to Korea, the most fascinating and
Taking a look at Korea at a more zoomed out urban
lively places were the streets.
level, It became clear that amongst the tightly knit
The streets were varied in their apprearance, but
urban fabric of Seoul, the only open plots of land
the most interesting ones had alot of informal
!
Existing School Typology
stalls spilling out from their alotted space, selling a wide variety of stuff ranging from clothing and
These open patches were of particular interest, as
electronics to fried skewers of meat and warm
they resembled the open squares found in european urban planning. These open public squares are the
spicy soup. Informal vs. formal streets Intimate market street
main form of public space that people congregate in and where activities happen.
The contrast between the main roads and the back streets was astonishing. While the main streets were mostly empty and barren, just the
By connnecting these open chunks of space
next street off from the main street was full of life,
to the informal activities that happen along the
little stalls, and alot of people gathering together
street, then a new form of public space could be
to watch performances and play games.
created in Seoul. The schools could therefore take
Proposed New Hybrid Centre
on a greater and more diverse role in serving the Due to their smaller plot sizes, it allowed for alot of Empty main street (CBD)
Open chunks in city fabric (school yards)
community around it.
!
By upgrading the schools into multi functional
in distinct ways that added a certain richness to
hybrid centres, that provide not only education but
the streets.
also day care services that are provided free by the elderly, after school programs, sporting and
The variety in the alignment of shop fronts also
cultural activities such as drama and perfoming arts
allowed for different informal gathering spaces
classes, and many community based activities.
and for people to have spontaneous events. The Hybrid centers will serve as the heart of each Connect school yards to streets
community, supporting the education of the children, giving more opportunities to the lives of the elderly
Informal stalls
and mobilising the women to work if they so wish.
Interesting Informal Street Qualities
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hybrid centres create more opportunities for the elderly to be well integrated in society, as they are given responsibilites in providing day care services and programs for childrenâ&#x20AC;? Before the Hybrid Centres
Residential Neighbourhood
Community by the Bay
plot
block
20%
In this community, it was important to create a strong connection with the water, Green Boulevards that ! ! ! towards the waters edge, providing residents with easy access to all their fabourite water front activities. Alot of spontaneous activites will happen in the pedestrian streets that are carved between all the ` ' ! Â&#x201A;
block 90m x 200m
block 70m x 200m
min. 60 m max. 90 m secondary roads public space tertiary road
Formal block exterior, informal block interior. height restr.: 150m block cov.: 20% have to be public setbacks: after 5 stories street width: 20-25m
â&#x20AC;&#x153;plot coverage of 80% creates 20 % public space
main roads. A policy was derived to preserve 20% public space on the rear side of each block to allow for informal activities The Hybrid centres are placed within the heart of the community, allowing a strong point of connection between people of all ages as they engage in After the Hybrid Centres
creative activities such as music performances and other sporting competitions.
Possible Informal routing connecting hybrid centers to street life
The Open Ended City
9
Korean block
The Berlin block has a very rigid and formal characteristic, where the boundary between the exterior and interior of the ` Â&#x192; only caters for a FAR of 2.6, this is only half of the required FAR of the brief of 5. In trying to densify this typology, we would 205 m
lose the good qualities and atmosphere of the courtyards. Site Area:
59 564m2 (100%)
Block Area: 47 002m2 (79%)
In contrast, the Korean block was interesting in the way that
Built Area: 31 524m2( 53%)
it was very permeable, with multiplie points of entry and an
FAR
intricate routing system through and within the block. The block
2.6
! !
210 m
Distribution of program in communities
Despite the interesting characteristics of the Korean block, it was severely limited by the fact that it is not capable of bieng ( this brief needs to provide for. In Seoul, the highrise and lowrise and typologies are seen as separate elements. The life of a neighbourhood, with all Site Area: 50 715m2 (100%) Block Area: 44 000m2 (79%)
its micro economy happens in the low rise areas, while the towers become isolated blocks for â&#x20AC;&#x153;livingâ&#x20AC;?.
Built Area: 26 372m2( 52%)
FAR
2.0 Our design has tackled ways in which to densify the urban
200 m
New vs. Existing roads
block, integrating highrise and lowrise typologies as well
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as informal routing through the blocks. This allows for high densities as well as the informal qualities of the street life that !
Site Area:
41 437m2 (100%)
Block Area: Built Area: 15040m2 + 2767m2 (42%) Avg. Floors: 3(lowr.) +22(highr.) M
FAR
2.6 Tertiary rds adapting to contextual fabric
Community by the Park
Flexibility
Park Neighbourhood
(
The rules for each community will guide the
thus allow for some elements on the site to be
growth of the area and result in different possible
It was important that the openness toward the park
' !
variations within the block structure.
will pass through YongSan to the surroundings
that would allow inhabitants to have good views and
CBDs.
more space to do outdoor activites and engage in a
Â&#x201E; ! '
The gradual increase in open green space toward
' ! ! ! `
the park was faciliated by gradually decreasing
to be enlarged or reduced according to the needs
the alotted plot coverage for the blocks, creating
of the people living in the area.
pedestrian friendly streets and pockets of space for
urban block block cov. 90% block cov. 70% green cov. 0% green cov. 10%
block cov. 50% green cov. 30%
height restr. : 120m block cov. : 90% to 10% (depending on context) setbacks : street width: 20-25
tower in park block cov. 10% green cov. 90%
â&#x20AC;&#x153;the urban fabric is gradually dissolving towards the parkâ&#x20AC;?
informal activities to happen. The built environment and the landscape are equally important, the urban block slowly disintegrates, until the point where there are free standing towers in the park.
Fixed connections
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Â&#x2021; ( Â&#x2C6;
!
The Open Ended City
11
Event Core YongSan will primarily be catering to 2 large user groups: The residents of the communities and the leisure seekers that will come to enjoy the outdoor activities in the park as well as the water sports that will be happening along the newly invigorated river front. As YongSan becomes the point of arrival for the 2 Event Core connecting communities
main outdoor destinations, it is important that there are interesting cultural programs, entertainment and shopping areas that are strategically placed to encourage people to linger and have a good time. The event core, will serve as a mixing ground and a place of exchange between the residents
Hardscape of Event Core
Green scape
of YongSan and the leisure seekers, creating an exciting environment with its own unique blend of Event Core connecting site
warmth and vibrance.
Event Core
Healthcare
2030
14 x 85 m2 = 700 hospital beds
2050
Highrise Community
Highrise Neighbourhood
22 x 85 m2 = 1.100 hospital beds
Based on the healthcare standards of Within the context of the city, this area had no strong
The Netherlands an increase in the
8 dentists
4760 m2
6600 m2
56 beds
88 beds
8 dentists
road that ran through it.
253 beds
161 beds
The island that is located in the mid100 psychologist
100 psychologist
2500 m2
2500 m2
Â&#x201E; ! ! ! ! already existing in this area and the surrounding
utilised
plots, therefore it lent itself quite well to be the area
and presents a prime location away
of extreme verticality. We embraced the existing high
from the busy-ness and pollution of the dense urban area, where quiet and clean air can be enjoyed. Half of it will host a research facility
483 beds
759 beds
41.055 m2
64.515 m2
0
m
x 4 communities
x 4 comm
1932 beds
3036 beds
164.220 m2
258.060 m2
Different variations of the grid. Variety of plotsizes create different high-rise conditions height restr. : no restrictions block cov. : no restrictions setbacks: no restrictions street width: 20-30 m
â&#x20AC;&#x153;no restrictions inside the block, only fixed road structure â&#x20AC;?
density towers and incorporated to the program mix of this community. In total, preserving 500 000 m2 of The roads have been widened to accommodate for
for elderly diseases while the other
!
contain a hospice for the
has been inserted to unify this area with the eastern
half will
90
1800 m2
1800 m2
dle of the Han River is currently not
off from the rest of the site due to the 6 lane primary
4.680 m2
2880 m2
20
has been proposed and taken into account for each community
39 doctors
25 doctors
m
connection to the water or to the park, and was cut
number of doctors and hospital beds
side.
elderly, providing families with a nice environment to spend the last months with their loved ones.
Research Centre for Elderly Diseases (Located on the island)
The Open Ended City
13
Program 2030
The Vertical Cities Asia competition brief calls for
According to the typologies and characteristics of
an emphasis on the ageing “problem” in Korea
each neighbourhood, the program bar has been
Education Health Culture
and left the programmatic requirements open to
customised to embrace the existing atmosphere
Retail
interpretation.
and ensure that the site maintains an overall FAR of 5
4.5%
2050 4.1%
2,1%
3,2%
4%
4%
11%
11%
492 000m2 384 000m2 480 000m2 132 000m2
2 844 000m2
24.4%
23.7%
Hotel
4%
4%
480 000m2
Residential
50%
50%
6 000 000m2
The proposed program mix is concentrated around healthcare, education and cultural/leisure
The changing balance in demographics between
facilities, whilst taking into account the high
the eldery and children has been accounted for
densities of people that are required to live and
in the program bars that vary between 2030 and
work in this area.
2050, catering to more healthcare facilities in the future.
We did not see YongSan as another CBD, where the activities are bounded by the working hours of people. Instead we tried to create communities where people are able to live, work and play, this
FAR: 5.1
kind of mixed environment something new and
site area: 2.418.530 m2 program: 12.000.000 m2
exciting people in Seoul.
4,1% 2,1% 4%
39.000 m2 20.000 m2 38.000 m2
4,7%
98.000 m2
2,8%
53.000 m2 52.000 m2
2,5% 8%
15,8%
167.000 m2 11%
397.000 m2
64.000 m2 30.000 m2 56.000 m2
2,1%
156.000 m2
11%
4,5%
4%
18,4%
261.000 m2
18,4%
5%
71.000 m2
5%
32.500 m2 14.000 m2 29.000 m2 79.000 m2
133.000 m2
190.500 m2 3%
4%
4%
150.500 m2 19%
20%
4,5% 2,1%
62.000 m2 36.0 m2
38.000 m2
60%
1.256.000 m2
55%
50%
55%
780.000 m2
398.500 m2
476.000 m2
3% 2% 5%
FAR: 3.1
FAR: 3.8
FAR: 5.4
FAR: 6.1
site area: 307.000 m2 program: 952.000 m2
site area: 551.000 m2 program: 2.093.000m2
site area: 262.000 m2 program: 1.419.000 m2
site area: 118.500 m2 program: 723.000 m2
26.000 m2 17.000 m2 44.000 m2
3,5% 2% 5,5%
16% 26.6%
25.000 m2 14.000 m2 39.000 m2
3% 2% 4%
16%
115.000 m2
5.5%
40%
252.000 m2
66.000 m2 42.000 m2
8%
170.000 m2
10%
213.000 m2
1.5%
32.000 m2
30%
33.000 m2
1.135.000 m2
30%
219.000 m2
70% 4%
117.000 m2
3,1% 2%
454.000 m2
237.000 m2
35% 24.6%
85.000 m2 56.500 m2 113.500 m2
36.000 m2
33.000 m2
1.494.000 m2
3% 4%
25%
113.000 m2
27.000 m2 30%
30%
269.000 m2
216.000 m2 30%
851.500 m2
FAR: 4.6
FAR: 6.0
FAR: 7.2
FAR: 5.5
site area: 195.000 m2 program: 897.000 m2
site area: 120.000 m2 program: 720.000 m2
site area: 394.000 m2 program: 2.838.000 m2
site area: 388.000 m2 program: 2.135.000 m2
15%
16.000 m2
5%
6.000 m2
FAR: 0.2 site area: 551.010 m2 program: 110.000 m2
The Open Ended City
15
Sustainability Site Development Scenario
Social Sustainability Block development scenario
A sustainable development is one which present needs are met without forsaking the needs of the future. " ( ! ! and can be adapted to possible higher density levels, the Existing Condition
constant rebuilding cycle that happens in Korea every 30 years, will not be present in Yongsan. The grid structure can handle a density with a FAR of 5.0, but as the population in Seoul has not grown in the last 10 years, lower densities can also be accommodated for in the
Empty plot is developed
After 2 years
plan.
After 5 years
After 10 years
The developmental scenario will begin with the empty plot
Hybrid centers serve existing neighbourhoods
where railway maintenance factories have been demolished.
Water Systems
Once the park designed by West 8 is completed, other hybrid
Due to the large amounts of water bodies located in and
The use of green roof systems and water catchment areas in
centres will be placed in other existing communities. These
around Yongsan it was paramount that we incorporated a
the park , and in the green areas in the city will allow for the
will act as catalysts that attract more people to these areas,
smart water system that would save money for residents and
re-use and recycling of gray water that will provide YongSan
and slowly, the communities will begin to densify as more
have a low environmental impact.
residents with a cheaper source of water in the long run and
prevent the wastage of water.
green roof + green filter
Neighbourhoods densify by the park toilet
clarification plant
black water
washing machine kitchen shower
overflow
grey water
sceptic tank
planted trench filter
open water basin green filter (park)
Water front development
Han river
Han river
The Open Ended City