[Takryucheongron] Gwanghwamun Square Restructuring, Connecting the Publicness of the 'Square'

Woo Ui-jeong, CEO of Meta Architecture (Adjunct Professor, Department of Architecture, Hanyang University)

There has been active discussion recently about the reconstruction project of Gwanghwamun Square, which has just begun construction. People interested in this project are expressing their support or opposition by presenting their own arguments.

I am also one of those who are very interested in the reconstruction of Gwanghwamun Square, and I am voicing my opinion. If I were to take sides, I would be in favor. However, I support the process, not the outcome. I do not support the current plan as it stands, but rather the continuity of the efforts that have been ongoing for a long time.

Like many experts, architects are not accustomed to having political inclinations. They see the city itself as a vessel that holds the daily lives of citizens, and architects intervene in changes to the urban structure that respond to citizens’ demands. They act as interpreters and servants who translate citizens’ needs into architecture. The reconstruction of Gwanghwamun Square began with citizens’ demands and is a long-term project realized with administrative support. It is not a politically motivated project stemming from the desires of any influential individual, but a gradual change in the urban structure that reflects the voices of Seoul citizens and, more broadly, the people of the Republic of Korea, capturing our daily lives. At some point, citizens began gathering around the Gwanghwamun area to raise a unified voice on various issues, and the candlelight rallies in 2016, remembered by many, became a decisive turning point to reconstruct this area as a square. The new government inaugurated in May 2017 declared the Gwanghwamun era, and the core of changes around Gwanghwamun is to reorganize the road into a square. To transform a road that has long been vehicle-centered into a square requires social consensus across various fields. For this purpose, experts and citizens from diverse areas have spent over three years working on preparing the plan. The hottest topic of discussion was how to determine a way for pedestrians and vehicles to coexist.

From a long-term perspective, no one would oppose an environment where Gwanghwamun Square prioritizes pedestrian areas free from vehicle interference. However, since it is not desirable for the urban structure to change all at once, ways for people and vehicles to coexist were studied. Options such as expanding bypass roads to close or reduce lanes, and three-dimensional plans to underground the lanes were considered. A cautious approach of intermittently controlling lanes to observe traffic flow was also not overlooked.

After lengthy discussions, it was agreed to create the square while maintaining the current urban structure, and principles for the square’s formation were established. Many opinions favored a symmetrical shape for the square, and some argued that the square should be attached to the east side, considering the royal procession route (Eodo) from Gwanghwamun through Jongno to Jongmyo. However, given that the angle of the current Gwanghwamun and the restored Woldae tilts westward toward Sejong-daero, and considering the public nature of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and Sejong-ro Park, it was judged more reasonable to create a one-sided square attached to the west side of the current square, which led to the current plan.

The current construction is by no means a reckless progression. It is a project in progress based on the minimum content on which social consensus is possible, connecting the currently disconnected publicness of the square, with long-term observation to determine the next steps as a premise. It is neither demolishing intact facilities to build new buildings nor recklessly excavating the ground. To become a square that symbolizes the Republic of Korea and matches the dignity of the nation, structural changes and the expansion of many newly required facilities are necessary, but rather than finalizing a completion plan, the project proposes alternative processes that listen to concerns and seek consensus. Therefore, I believe the current plan is not the completion of Gwanghwamun Square, and I hope that many citizens will use and observe it together, taking time to find better alternatives.

The reconstruction of Gwanghwamun Square, which started from the demands of Seoul citizens, is a citizen project that many citizens and organizations have watched and participated in throughout the planning process. The plan was finalized according to schedule, and construction began at an appropriate time. Since this is not a process conducted with a specific term in mind, it should not become a burden on the administration of the newly elected mayor next year. The reconstruction of Gwanghwamun Square is a small change that adds publicness to our daily lives.

Woo Ui-jeong, CEO of Meta Architecture (Adjunct Professor, Department of Architecture, Hanyang University)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.