Towards Sustainable Urban Riverfront Redevelopment: Adaptability as a Design Strategy for the Hangang Riverfront in Seoul

Abstract

The design of urban spaces, including waterfronts, must consider the flexibility to respond to urban and environmental changes and the continuity that respects the existing urban factors that have determined the essential characteristics of the place. The Hangang River in Seoul, South Korea, has been susceptible to significant changes over the years and has accumulated considerable historical traces and an irrevocable relationship with its urban contexts. On the other hand, as the country experienced rapid development, most urban plans have been executed based on shortsighted perspectives without considering sustainability. This study suggests adaptability as the main driver to achieve sustainability of the urban riverfront by viewing the site condition dichotomously. The components of the site were distinguished as fixed and variable factors. Considering fixed factors, six design intervention types were applied to the site through extensive macroanalysis and correlation studies, and each intervention was proposed to respond to the variable factors of the site. This study proposed four strategies to upgrade the riverfront as an adaptable space. First, five types of waterfronts were introduced with more distinct functions and identities to accommodate various activities. Second, commercial development was introduced to build a stable financial base that could respond to economic fluctuations. Third, the ecological waterfront space was expanded to react to climate change in the long term and achieve the goals of improving the microclimate, biodiversity, and educational function in the short term. Lastly, connective infrastructure was introduced to address the rapidly increasing demand for open space. The significance of this study was twofold. First, the site condition was interpreted more comprehensively by applying a framework for analysis by distinguishing the fixed and variable factors. Second, the strategy presented in this study can be applied to establish a waterfront redevelopment plan in other cities that have a context similar to the Hangang River of Seoul.

Study on the Redevelopment of the Hangang River Waterfront from an Urban Resilience Perspective

“…The intervention does not need to be limited to pedestrian bridges; it can extend to include commercial buildings, parks, or cultural infrastructures. For example, Jun's analysis focuses on three potential locations for undergrounding or overpasses, optimizing accessibility through research into land use, topography, metro station placement, and the historical factors of the site [26]. There is a strong demand for water-based recreational facilities, and the Seoul government is adding pools along the river to reflect this.…”

“…-Diversify the types of waterfronts by considering recreational, transportation, and commercial facilities inside the target area and land use, traffic conditions, and historical resources outside the target area. For example, Jun categorized them into 36 conditions based on the characteristics of the Hangang River and arranged recreational, ecological, transportation and business, commercial, and historic waterfronts accordingly [26]. -Propose a multimodal circulation system, including bike lanes, personal mobility (PM), autonomous vehicles, and pedestrian circulation.…”

“…Choi et al [7] analyzed the process of urban open space design through the lens of urban resilience theory; Jun's research [26], proposed a solution through adaptability, a concept closely related to resilience, for the renovation of the Hangang River; and Lambrou's research [39], which examined RbD's proposals from different frameworks, interpreted the theory, investigated the site, and analyzed the case project from alternative perspectives.…”

“…To address the increasing demand for residential areas, the city initiated an expansion project to the southern side of the Hangang River. This expansion involved the construction of flood-prevention embankments and the development of large-scale apartment complexes on both riverbanks, which, in turn, limited public access to the riverfront [26]. During the 1980s and 1990s, the city government embarked on a series of proactive urban improvement and beautification initiatives in preparation for hosting the Asian Games in 1986 and the Olympic Games in 1988.…”