PUBLIC PARK DESIGN FOR INTERGENERATIONAL INTERACTION

PUBLIC PARK DESIGN FOR INTERGENERATIONAL INTERACTION Research in Seoul, South-Korea

In the context of a double diploma master degree 2019 - 2020 : South-Korea, Techno Design Kookmin University 2020 - 2021 : France, Ecole Supérieure d’Art et Design de Saint-Etienne

PUBLIC PARK DESIGN FOR INTERGENERATIONAL INTERACTION Research in Seoul, South-Korea

Half of my family is living in France and the other half in Korea. The double diploma beetween Ecole Supérieur d’Art et Design de SaintEtienne and Techno Design Kookmin University seemed perfect for my profile because of my dual culture. Until then, I never had the chance to live in Korea for an entire year and the opportunity of the double diploma was perfect. I discovered my own way to experience the korean culture and the most important part of it was, for me, the value of family.

I remember that as a child, while visiting my korean relatives, I was in a small apartment sleeping closely to my mother and my three aunts in the same bed. This feeling of warmth and love resonates in my mother’s words as she used to talk about her small childhood house, her parents, her sister and her four brothers. In 2020, this feeling was still here, although the situation is now different. My aunt and cousin have now more money than before, they have children of their own and even though they do not live in the same house anymore they are not far from each other. When they are meeting, it is in a park, in a restaurant or in a coffee shop, always somewhere in between their houses. Simply, a public space where it is cozy to meet and enjoy each other’s company.

South Korean’s society is facing big changes in terms of demography. Currently, it has one of the lowest birth rates among developed countries. Its population will certainly get older and older in a country which on the spike of digital and technological innovation. This coming change will also lead to innovations in design aspects as the design of products and spaces is totally bounded to technological changes. Let’s have a look at what could become South Korea in 2070. In 50 years, all seniors will live in their very hi-tech retirement homes. In their everyday life, they will constantly interact with technological innovations such as Virtual Reality technologies. VR, through VR headset, will allow them to move in a virtual world, do incredible things as flying over fictitious buildings. These elderly people will in reality stay in their armchair but their spirit will be traveling in digital realities and surfing in a very high-speed internet network. In other words, their existence will be mostly digital, they will belong to the virtual world.

Even if this scenario is pure fiction, it is a future that can seriously be considered, as we see that our world in 2020 is constantly changing and new innovations appear at a fast pace. Therefore, is it not crazy to imagine such a future and how will live next generations of seniors, those who have lived and grown with the internet and surrounded by new technologies. On the contrary, today there is a real gap in terms of capacity to adapt to technologies between the young and the elders. Generations have often difficulties to understand each other and even can lead to a kind of conflict of point of views and ideals.

7

OK BOOMER

Chlöe Swarbrick, a member of the New Zealand parliament, creates the term “Ok Boomer” that went viral on the internet, which was used to counter an offensive speech from an older male colleague who was trying to destabilize her. This term, which has become a joke on the internet, nominated baby boomer generation born between 1945 and 1965. People who are today between 55 and 75 years old. The majority of young people and adults aged 20 to 30 have parents belonging to the baby boom generation. This generation has grown up in the second part of the 20th century and will soon experience the transition to senior status. This new status will provide them some advantages such as discounts for public transportations or special tariffs for museums, but above all: give new social status in society. For example, in South Korea metro tickets are free for all residents over 65, thanks to the Article 26 of the Welfare of Older Persons Act implemented since 2006.

This advantage allows Korean seniors to move freely in the city of Seoul. That helps for many elders facing financial difficulties.

In fact, almost half of the elderly population in South Korea is below the poverty line (International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 4, No. 3, May 2014 by Sun Jae Lee).

Today we observe that senior status effectively allows some advantages, but especially a difference compared to others in society.

According to a UN study, from 1950 to 2015, the life expectancy of the worldwide aging population has increased by 24 years.

8

In a few years, there will be globally even more elderly people than very young people. This baby boom generation will live a long and healthier life compared to their parents, in the context of a sharp decrease regarding the birth rate. According to a study of “World in Data”, projection from 2015 to 2050 estimates that young people under the age of 20 will represent 22,3 percent of the global population and those over 65 will represent 32,1 percent.

According to this study, we might think that these two figures show that generations are in a sensitive situation, as the gap will grow in the 30 years to come.

This study focuses mainly on challenges that the two generations will face separately, however, we can see it differently and focus researches to find concordances and mutual benefits of intergenerational interactions. In cities, young and elders need to find common places, spaces to interact, exchange and improve communication. This is exactly where design can make a difference and help to reach this objective.

9

« If you see a city with many children and many old people using the public spaces this is a sign that there is a good quality for people in that particular city » Jan Gehl, Louisiana Chanel interview 2017

01

Public spaces today

1. current social interactions behaviors 1.

history of the rise of new technology in South-Korea

15

2.

South-Korean social media activities and consequences

21

2. analysis on social spaces 1.

numerical social space

27

2.

nature deficit disorder

31

3.

life between buildings

35

3. public space and case studies in Seoul

02

Public space users in Seoul

1. population and housefold study

1.

urban planning experience

39

2.

case of Cheonggyecheon regeneration

43

47

2. young generation 1.

influence of environment

53

2.

child-friendly communities

57

3. senior generation 1.

current challenge for elders

63

2.

elder-friendly communities

67

03

Benefits of intergenerational interactions

1. learnings from Debra

71

2. exemples of intergenerational interaction worldwide

75

3. intergenerational activities in Seoul

79

Flanders and Willem Van Vliet study

04

범바위어린이공원 Bumbawi children park in Seoul in the view of intergenerational interactions

1. description of the area

83

2. analyse of the park

87

Conclusion

99

01 Public spaces today

01.1.1. current social interactions behaviors

01.1.1.

history of the rise of new technology in South-Korea

16

After the Second World Wide War, South Korea was liberated from Japan in 1945 after 35 years of colonial reign. Conflict and disaster continued with the Korean War and an estimated 5 million people died. In 1953 the 27th of July, Korean War officially ended. However, the country was demolished, leaving the population in extreme poverty and famine.(1) Since 1960 the country has ranked meaningful growth and poverty reduction.(2) South-Korea became the world’s 9th powerful country in 2020.(3) South Korea was destroyed, traumatized and poor. Nevertheless, education became the highest priority for the nation. Korean was struggling day after day. Yet, parents did not give up on the education of their children. With this will of educating the future generation, UN Korea Reconstruction agency (UNKRA) began to rebuild and repair schools and proceed rapidly from 1953 to 1955. Dong-A Ilbo published in October 1954 “Koreans need elementary schools” and they need a “new compulsory education plan”. In response, the minister of education built and proposed a compulsory primary and middle school education plan in the National Assembly in early 1954. This plan was quickly approved. All the nation was encouraged to educate their children, even teachers asked to go around the neighborhood to make sure parents register them.(4) This dedication to education produced a highly trained workforce that would prove the economic turnaround.

In 1961, the military regime reigns and they made the economy of the country the top priority. To provide economic growth, the regime created an economic planning board. On January 1962 the first 5 years plan was announced and this plan laid the foundation for Korea’s astounding economic growth, nowadays called “Miracle on the Han River”.(5) The textile was one of the first industry that was export and encouraged the economic growth. Later in 1970, the steel industry reached an important place in South Korea’s economy, they started creating steel mill to compete with the other countries. The United states were doubtful about the success of Korea and point the lack of technology.(6) In 2013, South Korea became the 6th larger producer of steel and the primary investment from Germany was the trigger for a lot of different industry growth, shipbuilding, automobile and also electronic. Korean gained confidence that everything was possible.

(1) « Un conflit en 4 phases », L’Histoire, no 385, mars 2013, p. 54 à 55 (2) Secrets behind Korea’s Economic Success, 2015 by Korean Foundation 한국국제교류재단 (3) 2020 Power Rankings, U.S. News & World Report L.P.

(4) Education Fever: Society, Politics, and the Pursuit of Schooling in South Korea

(5) Korea, a Century of Change by Juergen Kleiner

(6) 1970 IRBD International Bank of Reconstruction and Development report

1962 5 years plan map 17

18

In the 80’s, the Korean economy flourished thanks to the three lows phenomena : low US dollar, low oil prices and low interest rate. In 1983, Samsung Electronics developed Korea’s first semiconductor 64K DRAM successfully overpowered the foreign companies in developing new products and laid to its global leadership in the industry. In 10 years Korea secured a dominant share of the global market in the semiconductor industry. Korean economy and industries became even more competitive, thanks to this success Korea became in 1995 part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in 1996 a member of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Korea made a revolution in the information technology industry and was a stimulus to provide Korea to become the world’s first in households with an internet connection. Korean economy decided to re-center its strength in the information technology industry.

The most successful achievement in the Korean history of industry is Samsung. Under the government export policy in 1961, Samsung put all its energy in this one. Korea was sixty years late for the new technology industry and urged the creation of its own advanced technologies. In 1975, the release of EconoTV Korean became a leader of electronic makers and that year Samsung owned 14 percent on Korea’s total export. This new lead created a massive export for electronic devices from Korea to Panama. In 1979, Samsung received an award for reaching 100 million dollars in export. One year after, Samsung entered a new phase of focusing its production on the new technology manufacturing. The US and Japan were the main leaders in this domain and Samsung focused on producing memory chips, which was a turning point for Samsung to be a truly high-tech company. Samsung was preparing for the new society and was aware of the fast-changing of means of communication. In 1988, the 2nd phase was announced: Samsung increased its production and became more and more competitive. In 1993, the company announced new management in view of the world changing so fast about high-tech. They focused on quality for the people, the products, services and management. This change of mind became this hit for the accomplishment of Samsung, and in 2002 the world was becoming digitalized. This new type of technology was the consequence of the rapid spread of the internet. This digitization allowed Samsung to become global. As a result, Samsung exceeded Japanese Sony in the digital industry in 2004. Until then, Samsung growth was expected by creativity innovation and challenges. In 2019 Samsung was the world’s 6th best global brand with 61 million of US dollars.(7) Korea became the capital for smartphones and new technology industries.

(7) Interbrand Best Global Brands 2019 Rankings

1975 EconoTV 19

01 Public spaces today

01.1.2. current social interactions behaviors

01.1.2.

South-Korean social media activities and consequences

THE ESSENTIAL HEADLINE DATA YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE STATE OF MOBILE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE

OVERVIEW: DIGITAL IN ASIA-PACIFIC IN 2020 22

Active social media users

Total population

2.14

4.30

PENETRATION

URBANISATION

Internet users

Mobile phone connections

2.42

4.43

PENETRATION

vs. POPULATION

BILLION

50%

BILLION

56%

BILLION

48%

BILLION

103%

JAN / 2020

South Korea like we have seen before is the center of technology, new way of digital communication and today’s leader in high-tech.

WeAreSocial is an international organization that gathers all the information around the world about social web data. They publicly publish every January the acknowledgment of the previous year, the global digital data and analysis. Asia-Pacific (APAC) includes East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania is the center of numerical activities. This region of the word represents 55,2% of the world population with 4,3 billion people in January 2020. In the 2020 publication, the world average time spent on the internet is 6 hour 43 minutes a day. The Philippines hit the roof with a record of 9 hours and 45 minutes spent using the internet per day on any device. South Korea is the 37th in this classification with 5 hours and 22 minutes a day.

The average day of activities is around 12 hours. Therefore, in the Philippines that represents 81,25% of the active time spent connected and in South-Korea 44,72%. In 2020, Asia-Pacific is beating record with 2,14 billion users of social media that represent 27,43% of the world’s population and 50% of the Asia-Pacific population.

We can see the rise of South Korean soft power and the importance of digital connexion in daily life. In 2015, the population reached 50,4 million and already 90% of them were active internet users. Only 30% of the population used social media with computers and 27% through mobile phones. Today the distinction between computers and mobile devices is not made and 87% of the population is using social media and 96% have a smartphone. In 2015, 110% of the population was active in the 3G and 4G networks, and in 2020 118% are active in the on the satellite internet networks.(1) This shows that on average a Korean has more than one connected device. These numbers show the importance of social media and the massive activity.

AVERAGE NET CONNECTION SPEEDS

AVERAGE MOBILE NET SPEEDS

AVERAFE INTERNET CONNECTION SPEEDS, IN MBPS

AVERAFE MOBILE DATA CONNECTION SPEEDS, IN MBPS

SOUTH-KOREA

25.3

JAPAN

15.0

USA

11.5

GERMANY

8.7

FRANCE

GLOBAL AVERAGE

CHINA

(1) We Are Social Inc. Global state of digital 2015-2020, Global digital yearbook 2015-2020

6.9

4.5

3.8

SOUTH-KOREA

18.2

SINGAPORE

9.1

FRANCE

7.1

JAPAN CHINA USA GERMANY

6.7

6.2

5.8

5.4

23

24

When other countries are nearly ending their installation of 4G satellites, South Korea is already implementing 5G and that was accessible in 2019. Koreans want to be one step ahead the rest of the world, promote innovation and highly connected. However, this sudden rise in new technology and its massive spread comes at a price.

The latest government survey shows that almost 20% of the population, that represents 10 million people, are at risk for Internet addiction.(2) The part of the population most exposed to this problem is young. The young generation became addicted to smartphones, video games and high-technology. According to a government survey, 15% of the young generation is highly dependent on their smartphones.(3) We can find in South Korea smartphone addict rehab places for teenagers that struggle to disconnect to their devices.

These places organize a program to help the adolescents to have a healthier internet use and habits with digital devices.(4) These children are going slowly to disconnect with the world, school disconnection, lack of productivity and more social isolation. These rehab centers are teaching teenagers how to reconnect with the physical world, social interaction and emotional well-being.(5) They learn how to control their time on the internet, naturally, internet and video games are not harmful. The dependence and isolation of the virtual world is the problem. Those teenagers are saying that their life through the screen is better and these places show them otherwise.(6) From extreme poverty, South Korea has succeeded in being the center of new technology. This growth is affecting social interaction and the behaviors of all the generations of Koreans. The population is spending more time in the digital world than interacting with people around them.(7)

(2) Why It Matters, The Race To 5G

by CNA, Nov 2019

(3) Michael Sullivan, NPR News, Seoul 2019 at www.npr.org

(4) Arirang news 21 June 2018

(5) Internet-Addicted Kids and South Korean Government Efforts: BootCamp Case by Koo, Wati, Lee, & Oh, 2011 (6) Rehab for Korea’s Gaming Addicts, SBS Dateline, April 2016

(7) 2019 Social Survey by National Statistic Korea

system to help alert smartphone using pedestrians of traffic 25

01 Public spaces today

01.2.1. analysis on social spaces 01.2.1.

South-Korean social media activities and consequences

28

Humans are social animals and our lives depend on other people.

We develop and learn about the world around us. Nowadays humans are developing in cities, more than half of the population is living rural.(1) People are making the cities, which is why where people work and where people go are the most important parts of a city. Between home and work are the public spaces(2) Public space is an area that is open and accessible to everyone.

Common examples are roads, paths, sidewalks, parks, public squares, natural areas, and public facilities. Public spaces are considered essential for the life quality and economy of a city.

Public space is essential for freedom of movement, a place for people to gather in a community, companionship, or family.

Humans interact through two different types of communication, direct and indirect. Most of the time the interactions are direct, a look, a smile, a conversation, a handshake, asking directions, or even talking to the cashier to buy bread. This active communication is physical and this is why we can say that public spaces are the rhythm of a city, the “between” were humans are crossing each other.(3) Marie-Gabrielle Maraud analyzes public spaces today in a political way. She is describing this new political public space that she has defined as “numerical public space”. The space with the most human interaction in the world today is the digital public space, the internet. The internet has been in our life for less than 30 years and today all our devices are part of that space connexion around the world. Public space is defined by the people and their interaction. A good public space is considered as such if there is a lot of activity.

Today the most efficient space is the digital public space. People can be addicted to social media or video games. The digital society appeared so fast that humans didn’t have the time to manage this amount of information. Digital public space is not a threat but it needs to be used in a conscientious way and people need to learn be educated on its advantages and disadvantages, as well as its risks.(4)

(1) Share of urban population(% of total population) Eurostar ISSN 2443-8219 (2) How public spaces make cities work by Amanda Burden

(3) Life Between Buildings, Using Public Space by Jan Gehl

(4) The net or the closing of public space by Marie-Gabrielle Maraud

Tokyo, “Geotaggers World Atlas”

by Eric Fischer 2010 29

01 Public spaces today

01.2.2. analysis on social spaces 01.2.2.

nature deficit disorder

70% 65% 60% 55%

Myopia Prevalence

50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

2000

32

2010

2020

2030

2040

2050

Year

Nature deficit disorder is a growing problem affecting many people’s well-being because they lost their connection to nature. People’s daily life is over schedules and slowly become disconnected to nature because of urbanized environments.(1) Richard Louv, an American journalist, created the term “nature-deficit disorder” to describe possible negative consequences to individual health and the social environment of children to be more in contact with the natural world. This is not an official diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems but nowadays specialists are trying to prove the importance of this analysis. This new generation of children has no direct experiences with nature, they only experience it through electronic media and devices.(2) In 1996, a research was made to prove the danger of losing outdoor connection as sources of stress and anxiety. Today, children are using less and less their senses, between school and home they are mostly working, sitting and staring at screens. They are down to two senses, using their ears and their eyes to go anywhere in the world through the internet. Being outside and around the nature are important experiences as anything else in a child’s development. It was proved that being outside can decrease nearsightedness, anxiety levels, obesity rates, negative feelings and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD symptoms.(3) In 2000, a report was made and the result was that proximity with nature and exposure to natural settings helps the children with cognitive abilities, abilities to focus, creativeness, self-discipline and self-regulation.

This is not the only study to prove the importance of being outside.

Dr Hana Abou Zeid a French doctor specialized in ophthalmia said « Not only would light have a beneficial effect on myopia, but going outside, at the same time, reduces the time spent on activities that require close vision, the other determining factor for myopia. » Myopia means that you can’t see clearly images that are far away. It is becoming an epidemic among children because they go less outside and they need to do their homework.(4) This proximity with screen and times indoors is affecting sight. Especially in Asia, the number of children with myopia is particularly high.

In this part of the world, children are encouraged to make long and successful studies, which means that they will spend less and less time outside with age. Specialists point that the average time outside per day does provide a healthier life needs to be at least of 2 hours.(5) We can see that South Korea is one of the countries with the highest rate of myopia. Children are not spending enough time outdoor because of the competition in schools. This is a proof that going outside is one of the keys to favor young generation well-being and better health.

(1) Nature Deficit Disorder: what is it?

By Richard Louv, Alana 2017

(2) Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, 2008

(3) The Misdiagnosis: Rethinking “Nature-deficit Disorder” by Elizabeth Dickinson 2013

(4) A cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating an incentive‐based outdoor physical activity programme to increase outdoor time and prevent myopia in children by Cheryl S. Ngo Chen‐Wei Pan

(5) The epidemic of myopia in East and Southeast Asia by Ian Morgan

Tokyo, “Geotaggers World Atlas”

by Eric Fischer 2010 33

01 Public spaces today

01.2.3. analysis on social spaces 01.2.3.

life between buildings

life

space

buildings

36

Jan Gehl is an architect and a professor, he is passionate about how cities are “rhythm” and especially how people are developing in it. He studies the relationship between life and form in the middle of the 60s by traveling around the world to observe that the modernist world made of concrete houses was only focused on the buildings and not in the between. He started to learn for people and not for cars or good looks, contrary to what he was taught in university. At the time, nothing was focused on life and people’s activity around buildings.

Architecture has a big impact on people’s lives and on the quality of life inside the city. If architecture is supporting life, for him this is a good architecture, this is a good city planning. A city needs to trigger all the human senses and every corner needs to be thought that way.

The most important point in his analysis is human scale in relation to human senses and the way people and their bodies are moving around. He is trying to provide city planning to invite people to walk and bicycle as much as possible and that would give them a better quality of life, better old days and much cheaper.(1) Jan Gehl has written a book that talks about outdoor activities, physical condition and their influences in a city. In his book, he describes that outdoor activities in public spaces can be divided into three categories: necessary activities, optional activities and social activities. Necessary activities are those that are more or less compulsory, all activities that involved and required participation, going to school or work for example. These activities are necessary they are not independent of the exterior environment because this is only to go to a point A to B. Optional activities are when you have time to spend, standing enjoying exterior, sitting or sunbathing. These activities take place if the outdoor condition is good. The physical connection is important for these activities and for the user to spend more time, stop, sit, eat, play because of the joy produced. Finally, Social activities are dependent to be at least two. That includes children’s play, conversations, passive contact or simply eye contact of hearing others. The third category is the result of the two others. They develop in connection with other activities because people will enjoy the space and will want to use it to meet and gather around. This stimulation is the most important for the qualities of public spaces. Outdoor activities begin with theses category of activities. If activity between buildings is missing, they would be fewer social contact. Participating in outdoor life is necessary for the quality of city life. Being among others, seeing and hearing others, receiving impulses from others, imply positive experiences, alternatives to being alone. Industrialization gathers humans in cities and they nowadays live in residential areas.(2) With the work of Jan Gehl developed countries are providing more and more outdoor activities and spaces to enjoy life especially in big cities where nature can be far or daily life oppressive.

(1) Jan Gehl Interview: How to Build a Good City Louisiana Channel in 2017

(2) Life between buildings Jan Gehl

37

01 Public spaces today

01.3.1. public space and case studies in Seoul

01.3.1.

urban planning experience

40

Passing great growth of the Korean economy, Seoul was only buildings and road and the government set up a regulation to manage development without considering the environment. The purpose was to build more green spaces and public spaces. Seoul is surrounded by a group of 4 mountains (Bugak Mountain, Inwang Mountain, Nak Mountain and Nam Mountain) with the Han River flowing east to west.

During the Joseon Dynasty the city wall was built to prevent this maintain chain. Theses mountains valleys were places where they wrote and recited poems for leisure. In 1967 the ‘Act on Park’ appeared, after that ‘Natural Park Act’ and ‘Urban Park Act’ in 1980. They define the term ‘Urban Park’ to be an area for nature preservation and contribution to improve citizen’s health and recreation and peaceful life for the citizens in urban areas. In that period the government installed a ‘Great Streets to Walk’ program.(1) To prepare the 2002 Word Cup landfill were transformed into Park Complex and other programs were carried out: ‘Rooftop Parks’, ‘Urban Green Belts’,’Forest of Hope for Citizens’ and ‘Green Preservation’. The civilian government started a 5-year plan for urban parks in 2002 and Seoul focused on life and green space together.

The government was focused on providing secured lands as possible and green spaces to a resident-oriented approach. On of the big project was Seoul Forest. From 2006 to today Seoul is greener and builds a Green Seoul association and supports Korean to voluntary participate in green activities. Urban Park and district parks are improving citizen’s quality of life. The ‘School Parks’ program in 2006 made 376 schools greener such as 364,422m2, 16 universities opened their doors and expand their green spaces by 40,360 m2.(2) Citizens of Seoul are aware of the importance of green spaces and social park to have a better daily life. The city is also working on a plan for 2030 to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.(3)

(1) Transition in Green Space Governance for Urban Sustainability : Study on Urban District Parks in Seoul by Kyung A Kim, Kyu-Young Han and Jun Han Kim, 2015

(2) Changes in Park & Green Space Policies in Seoul by Won-Ju Kim, Seoul Solution 2018

(3) Cross-sector Review: Human Rights and Gender Equality by Sea Jin Kim in 2018

Green Area in Seoul 41

01 Public spaces today

01.3.2. public space and case studies in Seoul

01.3.2.

case of Cheonggyecheon regeneration

44

Cheonggyecheon is located in the center of the heart of the downtown area. Near the historical Palaces and a lot of residents are living there. Cheonggyecheon is the major source of water and life. At that time, the ’60s, people were poor and need this water to drink, clean, toilet and also a playground for children. There is a lot of convergence of branches, 28 small streams that come down to Cheonggyecheon.

When the rain falls all the water is going down to this waterway.

The government decided to cover the area and turn it into a major sewer trunk system. Seoul had a high demand for transportation regarding the growth of the economy. After 2000, Seoul made a big decision to make the city more cleaner and planned to restore the Cheonggyecheon area. They decide to get rid of the road below the stream. This was a matter of safety, environment reasons to bring more human-centered environment-friendly spaces, cultural heritage for the history of this area and create a cultural space linked to the 4 great gates and last reason is for the economic reorganization of the industrial structure around.

This was a restoration to make this area a new place for people and activity, a new public place. Nowadays the restoration of the Cheonggyecheon is a big asset for the city, a green network that links cultural locations. Palace, Nam Mountain, old city wall and other by foot or by bike in a green environment. This area became popular for leisure, gathering, sport or just enjoying the water and nature. This public restoration leads to economic development around.(1) The transformation of the Cheonggyecheon is to create a new future for the next generations. Government, expert groups and citizens learn from each other to make this project to be successful. This project’s success was a trigger to many other green public spaces projects.

(1) Urban Planning Restoration and urban Regeneration by Myunggu Kang, Seoul Solution 2017

Cheonggyecheon 1960’s Cheonggyecheon 1980’s Cheonggyecheon 2012 1980’s Cheonggyecheon social activity 60,000 businesses and 200,000 shopkeepers 45

02 Public space users in Seoul

02.1. population and housefold study

less or

4

less or

2

4

2

2

6.7%

9 to 2 25

4.5%

9 to 2 25

36.3%

9 to 2 25

19.9%

20.7%

34 to

42.7%

34 to

39

27.9%

25.9%

1.5%

e or

3.5%

40 o rm

40 o rm

e or

e or

3.9%

48

2017

2018

2008

40 o rm

12.8%

39

35 to

to

39

43.8%

45.0%

35

35 to

30

34 to

30

30

PERCENT OF THE FIRST CHILD RANGE BY THE AGE OF THE MOTHER

less or

4.8%

4

In 2017, South-Korea population reached 51,42 millions of people. Thanks to the enormous growth of Korean economic Seoul was the center of all innovation and work is in high demand. Therefore 49,6% of this population lived in the Seoul area.(1) The south-Korean population is projected to grow until 2028 but after that year it will drop. Afterward, the total population is projected to record 39,29 million persons in 2067. In 50 years, the population will drop minus 23,5 percent. The working-age is 15 to 64 and that year they represent 73,2% of the total population but it’s projected a downward trend to 45,4% in 2067.(2) The median age in 2017 is 42 years and predicted to drop to 50 years in 2031 and 62,2 years in 2067.

During the 2000s the population was growing fast and the Korean population was in demand of innovation. The reason for that big change of perspective is the fact that the population is making fewer and fewer babies. Effectively, in 2017 the child population of 0-14 years old represent 13,1% of the total population and the prediction is that in 2067 it will represent only 8,1%. Simultaneously, the elderly population aged 65 or more will rise significantly. In 2017, the percent of elders is quite similar as the child population, 13,8%.

In 2067, they will represent 46,5% of the total Korean population.

This is projected to be 5,7 times higher than the child population.(2) In 2018, for the first time, the fertility rate of mothers make a big change. The fertility rate from mothers aged 25-29 was lower than the fertility rate of mothers aged 35-39. This trend will accelerate.(3) Fewer and fewer women want to get married and have children. If they are planning to create a family they are doing it later, 35-39 years old after they succeed in their jobs. In a range of 17 most popular cities, Seoul is at the bottom of fertility rates with 0,76 children per woman aged 15-49 years. Seoul is the center of business and economy and women are more focused on their professional future than having children.

(1) 2017 Population and Housing Census by Korea Statistics, 201808-27

(2) Population Projections for Korea 2017-2067 by National Statistics

(3) Final Results of Birth Statistics in 2018, 2019-08-28

Korea National Statistics Birth Statistics in 2018 49

Projections of one-person households by age (2017-2047) 832.0

(10,000 households)

800 558.3 70 years and older

600

337.2

99.2

400 200

60~69 years

79.2

135.7

50~59 years

94.5

120.2

40~49 years

86.6

81.4

39 years and under

198.8

2017

2027

157.6

2037

2047

Projections of the share of households by type (2017-2047) 100% 3-generations

couple

50% one-person

couple with children

0% 2017

50

2027

2037

2047

This tendency of less children and more elder is also showing in the household tendency. Confucianism is the dominant moral in Korea, this is a way, moral system base on the relation between old and young. This is important for Koreans to take care of the elders and this is still valid today.

Because of the war and poverty, Koreans mostly lived with 3 generations, children, parents, grandparents and, nowadays you can see the elder son living with his parents. Retrospectively, the industrialization of society changes people’s ideals, they’re now starting to live more apart from their parents.(4) In 2000, the average household size in Seoul was 3,12 persons, 2017 was 2,44 and the projection for 2047 is 2,03. In 2017, couple households with children were the largest proportion of households in the Nation. However, the projection for 2047, one-person households is going to be the largest proportion of the total households. As we said before, the Korean population is attached to family respect and closeness, therefore 61% of households will be relative households, couples with 21,5%, couples with children with 16,3%, fathers or mothers with children with 9,5%. Still, a one-person household is projected up to 37,3% in 2047 compare to 28,5% in 2017. The other concern for these next years: population is getting older. In 2017, 20,4% of the household was elderly households with heads aged 65 or more. It was projected that in 2047 elderly households will reach 49,6% in Korea. Focusing on Seoul, the proportion of elderly households was in 2017 18,9% and for 2047 it will grow up to 46,4%.(5) The average age of the population is going older and the elderly population will significantly grow.(6) Simultaneously, women will have fewer and fewer children or in an older age focussing on their professional life first. Elder will live apart from their families but the Korean family culture is strong and families will live not far from each other gathering around in the neighborhood.(7)

(4) The Make Up of the Korean Family - Korean Traditional and Modern Cultural Insights, 2017

(5) Household Projection by Province 2017-2047 by National Statistics (6) Population Trends and Projections of the World and Korea by National Statistics

(7) 2019 Social Survey by National Statistics

Household Projection by Province 2017-2047

by National Statistics 51

02 Public space

users in Seoul

02.2.1. young generation 02.2.1. influence of environment

54

To understand the challenges of the young generation to provide them a healthy and secure environment for their development. We need to understand the foundations for the child to have a successful future and the brain to develop at his full potential. During the first years of life, the brain is the most active and learning faster. In the early age, a baby can create one million of new neural connections every single second, every time the baby learn something new in the brain that change form connexion and those connexions not used repeatedly are lost. This is in the early year that the map is forming.

This is why a healthy environment provides the child with a good foundation map neuronal connexion for his entire life. The brain is a neural machinery ready to be programmed for a language, for a culture, for a set of values and the reason that early experience is so important to the baby brain is it set up routines to predict the future. What they are exposed to and how they are treated is going to have a major influence on their chances to thrive now and in the future.(1) The Abecedarian Project was realized with children born between 1972 and 1977 in poverty. This project was an education program for each child with an individualized prescription of educational games.

This project focused on social, emotional, language and cognitive areas of development. These children were full-time analyzed until the age of 5 and follow-up studies at age of 12,15,21,30 and 35. These children were in high poverty and the project wanted to prove that socio-economic status do not matter in the brain development. The Abecedarian Children’s remarkable outcomes and surpassed the team’s initial expectations, score an average of 15 IQ points higher, higher earned income and higher job prestige.(2) A child’s opportunity to thrive is not only exclusively determined by genes, IQ, class, or status but a child no matter where they’re born is ready to learn.

‘Serve and Return Interaction’ is a term to define the responsiveness, two-way interaction between the child and another. This capacity of learning and evolving is called “brain plasticity”. The environment, activities or experience is influencing our capacity of performance. We are influenced every day and our brain is changing every day but the highest level of brain plasticity is during the early childhood.(3) Children need that interaction and where that interaction response comes from depends on the people around, family, neighborhood, caregiver and also other children. The key to good and healthy interaction is empathy. We can learn empathy with the help of mirror neurons.

Mirror neurons are used when we imitate each other’s gestures. We analyze the gestures, reproduce them and learn them. Mirror neurons learn gestures but also make emotions contagious.(4)

(1) Brain Matters documentary, Early Childhood Development by Carlota Nelson

(2) FPG’s Abecedarian Project, https://abc.fpg.unc.edu

(3) Neuroscience and child development, conference by Dr Catherine Gueguen

(4) The Empathic Brain, Social brain Lab by Christian Keysers

Abecederian Project 1978 55

02 Public space

users in Seoul

02.2.2. young generation 02.2.2.

child-friendly communities

58

To provide a good place to develop human interaction are the most important thing. Community around the children can provide him experiences, needs and participation. UNICEF created the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative in 1996. This program is an initiative to support governments around the world in realizing the rights of children. This network brings together government, civil society organizations, private sector, academia, media and children who wish to make their cities and communities healthier for them. This initiative framework includes nine building blocks : 1 - Promote children’s participation, an active involvement that will take consideration in decision-making processes 2 - Create a child-friendly legal framework and incorporate for the rights of children 3 - Develop a city-wide children’s right strategy, 4 - Establish a children’s right unit to ensure children’s perspectives are given priority 5 - Build a systematic child impact assessment of the impact of law, policy and practice on children throughout the process 6 - Establish a children’s budget to ensure adequate resource commitment 7 - Produce a regular state of the city’s children report to ensure systematic monitoring of the state of all children` 8 - Making children’s rights know and ensuring that information about children’s right is disseminated to all children and adults in the community 9 - Support the independent advocacy for children (1)

(1) Building Child Friendly Cities: A framework for action by Innocenti Publications, 2004

Courtesy of Casa de la Infancia 59

60

The child-friendly cities are oriented to the design of the physical environment, planning of public spaces, improving mobility, enhancing access to the natural environment and for healthier life chances in general.(2) Caregivers, parents, families and social surroundings is influencing the good development of the brain. Therefore the community, spaces the city is creating for the children are also a massive influence for the health of the children. Have a secure access to a park, a space to learn how to bike or just a space to gather and meet other to learn their communication and have healthy, protected interactions.

The first Child Friendly City in South-Korea, was resent and created in 2013 by the Korean Committee for UNICEF (KCU). The applications are reviewed by a committee comprising of a KCU representative, an outside representative, and professors in different fields related to child rights and wellbeing. In order to receive Children-Friendly City recognition, municipalities must be given a favourable review and receive 60 points or more out of 100 on the scoring system.(3)

(2) Intergenerational Communities as Healthy Places for Meaningful Engagement and Interaction by Debra Flanders Cushing and Willem Van Vliet in 2016

(3) The Child-Friendly City Initiative in the Republic of Korea by UNICEF 2017

Event by Bernard van Leer Foundation and LEGO Group 61

02 Public space

users in Seoul

02.3.1. senior generation 02.3.1.

current challenge for elders

Active ageing :

maintaining functional capacity over the life course

Sources: OMS, Kalache & Kickbusch, 1997 Early life

functional capacity

Growth and development

Adult life

Maintaining highest possible lever of function

Older age

Maintaining independence and preventing disability

Range o in indiv f function iduals Disability threshold

Rehabilitation and ensuring the quality of life

age

5.8 5.6

BEST POSSIBLE LIFE

5.4 5.2 5.0

WORST

20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Average life satisfaction by age (Adjusted world sample, 2010-2012) Sources: Gallup World Poll; Brooklings institution

64

Older people represent a significant economic resource, they usually keep getting active after retirement volunteer for community organizations, care for others and others. Elder today want’s to be this potential resource of usefulness. As human live healthier and longer, they don’t want to be old and be at home trapped in there and waiting to die, new generation of elder are doing sport, travel the world and for the new elder, old is a sign of new life.

Middlescence is a term created in the 21st century that define the transitional period between 45 and 64 marked by an increased desire to find or create greater meaning in one’s life. Life expectancy don’t stop to grow and the average middle age is around that age. We can live so much longer in that period of life Barbara Waxman define that period as a big wise turnout for elder.(1) The midlife crisis has a negative view today, but going older and wiser has a big impact on the well-being as you can see in this diagram. It show that contrary to popular thinking during the outer years human are happier. This is a proof of the potential of elder in the society. They is apparition strong barrier, the midlife is also a stage where painful joints, bad sleep, patterns, memory loss or audition loss. We talked about brain plasticity, the brain capacity of learning. We are in our all life capable of learning and this capacity give our brain his strength. At a old age the brain is learning slower but keeping activities, interactions and enjoying life prevents bad signs of aging from happening early.(2) This is especially showed that the interaction process is the key for human life span. Social relationships as social integration, social support and social strain are the respond for good health. In this study they measured that with markers of physical health as C-reactive protein, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference and body mass. They discover that higher degree of social integration was associated with lower risk of physiological dysregulation.(3) The diagram is showing that individuals with higher degree of social connectedness provide lower deleterious physical outcomes as 13% of lower hypertension. This study has provided causal evidence on the mechanisms linking to social interactions patterns with health and logevity across the human life span. After the busy years of midlife, maintaining social connections in older ag plays a viral role in protecting health. Social isolation in particular was estimated to exceed that of diabetes and higher clinical risk factor as hypertension.(4)

(1) Barbara Waxman Middlescence, http://www.middlescence.org

(2) Living for the elderly : a design manual by Eckhard Feddersen

(3) Insights into the aging mind : a view from cognitive neuroscience by Trey Hedden and John D. E. Gabrieli 2004

(4) Social relationships and physiological determinants of longevity across the human life span by Yang Claire Yang

Active ageing : maintaining functional capacity over the life course The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50

by Jonathan Rauch 65

02 Public space

users in Seoul

02.3.2. senior generation 02.3.2.

elder-friendly communities

Community support and Health services

Age Friendly city

Civic participation and employment Respect and social inclusion Outdoor spaces and buildings Social participation Communivation and information Housing Transportation

68

Aging population are in needs of benevolent community as elder-friendly cities. Common focus areas of elder-friendly communities are transportation, housing, health care, safety and respect. We can say that characteristics for an good elder-friendly community include : 1 - Accessible and affordable transportation 2 - A wide variety of appropriate housing 3-R esponsive and age-appropriate health careand exercise facilities 4 - Safe environments 5 - Recognition and response to the unique need of seniors 6 - A wide selection of accessible and affordable services(1) The Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People GAROP is fighting to encourage communities and cities to be more in care of elders. Theses initiative are going worldwide. The GAROP based in their study point the importance of intergenerational solidarity that would connect the importance of empathy and social relationships for a healthier life.(2)

(1) Intergenerational Communities as Healthy Places for Meaningful Engagement and Interaction by Debra Flanders Cushing and Willem Van Vliet in 2016

(2) GAROP UN Convention of the Rights of Older-Ended Working Group on Aging 2010

World Health Organization, 2007, Global Age-friendly cities 69

03

Benefits of intergenerational interactions

03.1. learnings from Debra Flanders and Willem Van Vliet study

72

Intergenerational communities will gather young and elder in a well-being environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes in 2007 a broad focus on age friendliness. The result of this initiative is the Global Age-Friendly Cities : A Guide in 2010. This guide promotes the importance of today new elder generation, more active, useful and healthier.(1) Intergenerational practice involves 3 important similarities : people of different generation participate, this participation involves activities for the benefit of everyone and maintaining relations based on sharing. The International Consortium for Intergenerational Programs ICIP supports this intergenerational practice to focus of the need of each age group and to gather them for a contribution to build more cohesive communities.

The young brain is influenced by and learn from people around the study of Debra Flanders and Willem can Vliet is proving the benefits of intergenerational communities. Research has shown the individual psychological benefits of intergenerational interactions. A study on social-interaction between different generations showed that if a young person works with an elder one on a difficult life problem, the young person will have much more pro-social behavior.(2) Another study reported that more frequent contact with grandparents in daily life report higher level of emotional closeness, to give significance and respect for elders. Older and younger participants reported higher.(3) Similar results, for life satisfaction and found that intergenerational group is a effective activity to improve psychosocial well-being and the quality of life in healthy older adults and for young generations.(4) This finding is consistent with the positive attitude to people with dementia and positive observation of an intergenerational playground program.(5) Activity and healthy lifestyle changes in early or mid-life can reduce disability in older age. Healthy community therefore should include spaces to support physical activity by both young and old generations.

The WHO highlights that intergenerational communities enhance mobility and independence, increase security, foster a sense of confidence to enjoy active leisure and social activities, reduce stress and encourage volunteering and community engagement.(1) In the next decades there will be more elders than youngs, this potential in elder needs to be highlighted and be part of the cities.

Intergenerational interactions are proving benefits for health, good development and life span, this is the key for next communities and to change the negative view of growing old or growing up in our society.

(1) Global Age-friendly Cities: A Guide by World Health Organization 2010

(2) Intergenerational Potential: Effects of Social Interaction Between Older Adults and Adolescents Eva-Marie Kessler and Ursula M. Staudinger (3) Adolescents’ perspectives on relationships with grandparents: The contribution of adolescent, grandparent, and parent–grandparent relationship variables by Shalhevet Attar-Schwartz (4) Intergenerational contact, attitudes, and stereotypes of adolescents and older people by David S. Meshel and Richard McGlynn (5) An evaluative study of the benefits of participating in intergenerational playgroups in aged care for older people by C Margaret Skropeta , Alf Colvin and Shannon Sladen

the Intergenerational Community Arts Council 73

03

Benefits of intergenerational interactions

03.2. examples of intergenerational interaction worldwide

76

The aim of intergenerational urban space should be to ‘enhance social and emotional understanding between age groups, increase harmony and reduce generational conflict’.(1) Parks and urban squares can facilitate social interactions between generations by increasing opportunities for intergenerational play and active living.

St. Paul’s Plaza in Otay Ranch installed the outdoor space for intergenerational interactions. They organized a playground mixing adult sport furniture exercise for older adults while providing a space for children to play. The project was to find a way to improve senior health and well-being for generations of families to exercise and socialize together. This facility offer physical therapy and space where seniors can interact with others and especially children. Theses spaces are designed for more than one person, it creates an environment for buildings relationships between generations. Senior citizen playground differ from traditional playgrounds with equipment safer, emphasizing core muscle strength to improve balance and coordination, build strength and increase flexibility. This space is also designed for limited mobility or who are in a wheelchair.(2) This outdoor space was designed to give elder sport equipment safe and adapt to them and also give elder the positibility to interact, connect with young generation thanks to the play equipment next to. This mixed playground space is the right example for simple furniture management to provide intergenerational interactions.

In the US, two organization Humana and KaBOOM! created in 2014 their 8th are a intergenerational playgrounds in eight cities across the country. The traditional kid-friendly equipment is mixed with walking paths and fitness stations for elder. This spaces provide people of all ages a place to gather and enjoy the benefits of healthy physical activity.(3)

(1) Age- and Child-Friendly Cities and the Promise of Intergenerational Space by Simon Biggs and Ashley Carr

(2) Seniors get play time too, San Diego Union-Tribune, article write by Allison Sampite-Montecalvo

(3) Humana and KaBOOM! to Build Eight Multi-Generational Playgrounds in Eight Weeks This Fall 2014

KaBOOM! and Humana partnership playground project in St. Paul’s Plaza 77

03

Benefits of intergenerational interactions

03.3. intergenerational activities in Seoul

80

In the Korean Confucius Culture respect for the elder is strong.

Seoul government are providing several intergenerational services usually as part of community center. For example 우렁각시 child support in the neighborhood by senior citizens of Seoul. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Seoul Metropolitan Government to create jobs for senior citizens. This is helping senior to have experience and support social activities.(1) Tongyeong Elementary School a rural community conducted volunteer activities « make a beautiful world of caring and sharing ».

Students served food or give massage, practice manners and share experiences. Principal Jin Young-wook said : « With this event, schools and communities have become stronger, and students have been able to learn how to practice good faith and filial piety ».(2) You can also see event for elderly and children drawing together.

This event is designed to boost the elderly’s vitality and provide children with an opportunity to experience path-efficiency. Kim Jeong-han on of the general manager of the organization said « Although it was a short time, it is regrettable that everyone felt friendly like their real parents and grandchildren and did not support them more ».(3) The city of Seoul is working on activities providing social intergenerational interactions. These activities are mostly indoors. Thanks to the mountains and greenery in Seoul, citizen have this culture of walking and hiking especially elders. We can also see a lot of elder gathering in park, in front of buildings or public spaces to talk. With the help of sport equipment scattered in every park in the city, elder are reaching easily sport activities. You can see outdoor sport equipment next to playground, but the connexion and interaction are low because of the division by sport, play or sit. This pattern of park can be easily changed to provide interaction between generation like Seoul is making indoor and expend it in public spaces and in playground.

(1) 서울형 노인일자리사업, Seoultype senior citizen job project

(2) 광도초 ‘노인정 방문 봉사 활동’ 실시, Gwangdo Elementary School conducts volunteer activities for visiting senior citizens’ homes

(3) 노인·어린이 함께 그림그리기 행사, a drawing event for senior citizens and children

Intergenerational drawing activity Gwangdo intergenerational massage activity 81

04

범바위어린이공원 Bumbawi children park in Seoul in the view of intergenerational interactions

04.1. description of the area

84

Bumbawi Children park is situated northeast of Seoul. The park is near the Seongbukcheon stream that goes down to the Han River.

The stream area as we talked before is a historical important gathering area for the residents of Seoul. In the ’60s Seoul stream was the place were Korean gathered to find water to live. After the growth of the Korean economy, the government built a road over the stream.

In the 2000’s, Seoul was in a better situation and decided to uncover this stream. This big decision was made to restore the stream in the family residential area. This process is called “creative destruction”, or “creative recreation” of public space. It has changed over time from a natural stream, drainage for flood prevention, sewer, and roads, to a green pedestrian path across the city.

The Bumbawi Children park is surrounded by a lot of bus stops and the Bomun station, line 6 is 5 minutes by foot. This is also possible to access this park by foot through the stream but also by bicycle because the stream is also providing bicycle path and higher on the road are Seoulite bicycle rent stations.

In a radius of two kilometers, there are thirty-six nursing homes, three universities, four high schools, three elementary schools and one hospital. The rest of the area is more or less filled by family residences, apartments or houses. The Bumbawi Children park is also next to Anam Children’s house where children can have extra-school activities and Adam-dong Community Service Center. This park is at a crossroad where everyone meets : students, parents, children and grandparents.

85

04

범바위어린이공원 Bumbawi children park in Seoul in the view of intergenerational interactions

04.2. analyse of the park

88

For this study, I went a lot there and on different days to see how is the life of the park, the flow and people scales. I have observed that the main users of this park are neighborhood parents that live nearby and go by foot. I have also noticed that people who take a walk alongside the stream also like to stop. The stream is not always providing sitting and calm spots to stop, especially for children security. That is why the park is a better place for them to go and relax. To access it, they have to go up the stairs and walk for about 2 minutes.

89

e6

on lin

n stati

Bomu

Anam-dong Community Service Center

Anam Children's House

WC

walking road

n

Seongbukcheo

bycicle road

20 m

90

The park is 219m2 and is divided into 2 types of ground : hard ones and soft ones. The hard one is for walking and running but more precisely for the bicycle. On the provided sketch, you can see that the hard ground is surrounding the whole area to provide a loop. This loop is the connecting place: the place where children are learning how to ride a bike and are going all around the park to practice. The green area is soft made of rubber to avoid children to hurt themself. In this soft ground area, there are three elevated zones for hiking or jumping.

The blue part is for sports equipment. In Seoul, you can easily find these kind of devices for people to practice a sport or to stretch. On the side, not far from the sport area there is a bungalow with a lot of benches. This is the place where the elders gather, their can have interactions with children because the loop is passing next to the bungalow. A lot of benches are installed in the park, especially around this bungalow. We can see that this park has three purposes: for children to play, for parents to wait or do sport and for elders to gather and talk.

Every part is designed for its own purpose.

91

92

93

94

This park is perfectly settled, a lot of different generations are meeting. Children feel safe and can explore, learn and communicate here. The organization allows the residents to enjoy the park safely.

As we studied before, intergenerational interaction are a good benefit for health and for the children’s development. This park is a perfect place for that, a community center is near, as well as nursing home, family homes and schools. This park is organized for these generations to be separated, the only place where they can connect is the loop. I have observed that children are interested in playing with the adult sport devices, that can look like a playground for them. As we saw in the previous chapter, playgrounds with sport and children designed equipment can be mixed and give opportunities for both generation to interact side by side. This is a simple way or changing the placement of equipment and break the barrier to provide a space for intergenerational interaction.

95

« Solidarity between generations at all levels - in families, communities and nations fundamental for the achievement of a society of all ages »

Jan Gehl, Louisiana Chanel interview 2017

98

In this study about the development of public spaces to encourage intergenerational interaction in Seoul, we have seen different aspects of this subject.

Firstly, studying historical past and current social conditions are necessary to better understand the particularities of this interesting topic. We have seen that thanks to a strong will and unique hard-work capabilities, South Korea made its post-war history unique. People will lead to an impressive economic development which has transformed a developing and poor country to one of the most digitalized developed countries. Development of economic giants like Samsung are the most striking examples about the rise of technological innovation. This fast economic development also transforms deeply Korean society. Koreans, especially young people have an everyday life constantly surrounded by technology, connected to fast speed internet. The time spent on digital devices takes now a lot of space in their lives, this can be considered as a second reality.

99

For a second time, we have understood that this digital space affects society in different ways like new communication habits, less young people spending time outside. We have seen that Urban Architecture has a big influence on people. According to urbanists like Jan Gehl, urban planning must be organized to facilitate communication between citizens. The case of Seoul is particularly interesting, with the recent development of new spaces in the city (parks, green spaces near the river, cycling tracks...). These initiatives were strongly backed by officials to make the city more pleasant for citizens and visitors. Most striking projects like Cheonggyecheon Stream Regeneration, show that urban planning is important, it means that it will help to reach the real goal: more communication, exchange and connection between generations.

In a country that has an aging population due to a lack of birth and an increase of life expectancy, South Korea faces big challenges to help young to grow up in a sane environment and elders to get a healthy retirement. There is a real gap in terms of ways of life, communication, understanding between generations that grew up with the internet and the one that knew the post-war development period. Young and old generations need both to cope with big challenges.

In a third part, we have focused on the benefits of human interactions for health. Especially between old and young. For example, we have seen that interaction with old people helps young to learn core values as empathy. At the same time, old people can have real health benefits in contact with young like less body tension and depression episodes.

We have studied examples of good initiatives around the world

100

like St. Paul’s Plaza intergenerational playground in Otay Ranch, which helps a lot of generations to interact. It reveals that intergenerational interactions are the clue to better understand each other and improve society’s wellness.

As a fourth part, we have studied in detail a particular public space in Seoul capital. After an onsite analysis, we made constructive critics to see how it could be improved to develop intergenerational communication. We mainly identified that this space is organized by different delimited zones. It caused a geographical limitation between zones haunting by elders and other zones used by young people. We have proposed quite simple solutions to help these two groups to gather by withdrawing physical obstacles to enable more moves between zones. These can help old people and young people to interact more, get closer, and better understand each other.

To conclude, we have seen how the strong design of public spaces is. Well studied, it can influence people’s movement, invite people to communicate more, make real benefits for young and old people. In a society facing communication issues, the design is the ultimate tool that is in the benefice of people to become closer. In other words, it is searching for universal harmony.

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105

PUBLIC PARK DESIGN FOR INTERGENERATIONAL INTERACTION These theses was written by Rose-Nam Pernelle suppervised by Jeong Mi-Sun in South-Korea and Rodolphe Dogniaux in France in the context of a double diploma with the Ecole Supérieur d’Art et Design de Saint-Etienne and Techno Design Kookmin University 국민대학교 in Seoul.

Contact rosenam.pernelle@gmail.com

Printed in Ecole Supérieure d’Art et Design de Saint-Etienne in December 2020

I would like to express my thank to the Higher School of Art and Design of Saint-Etienne (ESADSE) and Techno Design (TED) Kookmin University 국민대학교 to give me the opportunity to persue double diploma degree. I want to thank my supervisor in TED, Jeong Mi-Sun for her welcome and friendly consideration and Kang Mi-sun for her guidance in the theses process.

I want to thank my theses supervisor in ESADSE Rodolphe Dogniaux for his generosity and understanding, Marie-Caroline for her strong advices and Nicolas Picq for his sense of detail.