Applying 'Universal Design' to Dangerous Alleys and Crowded Traditional Markets... Environmental Improvements in 3 Areas Including Gasan Digital Complex Station Surroundings

Environmental Improvements Completed in Chungsin Upper Fortress Village, Hwagok Central Alley Market, and Gasan Digital Complex Station Area

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 14th that it has completed environmental improvements in three areas?Chungshin Witseonggwak Village in Chungshin-dong, Jongno-gu; Hwagok Central Alley Market in Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu; and the area around Gasan Digital Complex Station in Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu?through the ‘Public Space Universal Design Application Project.’

In the hilly residential area of ‘Chungshin Witseonggwak Village,’ old stairs were refurbished to ensure safe access even at night, and nighttime lighting along with wave-shaped safety handrails were installed. The ‘Hwagok Central Alley Market’ was reorganized with guide signs using large letters, pictograms, and lighting to make them easily recognizable from a distance. Around ‘Gasan Digital Complex Station,’ a pleasant rest area with benches and trees was created in a public space previously used as a smoking area by nearby office workers, allowing various citizens to use it.

Since 2015, Seoul City has been implementing the ‘Public Space Universal Design Application Project’ to reduce safety threats and inconveniences in spaces that citizens encounter daily through design. So far, eight locations including senior centers and public health centers have been improved, and the process and application cases have been compiled into a guidebook to encourage expansion to other institutions and the private sector.

The three locations where the project was recently completed were selected annually through public contests since 2018. The city and autonomous districts jointly investigated and analyzed the characteristics of each space and its main users, and actual residents actively participated throughout the entire project process to reflect diverse needs. In particular, the project aimed to maximize improvement effects by linking with existing local projects such as maintenance works.

Seoul City plans to produce a type-specific guidebook to apply universal design to other spaces similar to the three completed areas and distribute it for use as guidelines by related departments.

Meanwhile, this year Seoul City is promoting the ‘Public Space Universal Design Application Project’ targeting the pedestrian paths around the above-ground railway lines 2 to 8 in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu. The project involves applying universal design to the pedestrian paths, which were previously enclosed due to soundproof walls and railway facilities, to create safe and secure walking spaces, with completion expected by the end of the year.

Lee Hye-young, head of Seoul City’s Design Policy Division, said, “Public spaces should be safe and convenient for all citizens to use,” adding, “We will discover more places encountered in daily life and create a universal design city where everyone can enjoy without any citizens being left out.”

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