"Han Riverfront" Sinbanpo 2nd Phase Rebuilding with 2,050 Households... "Creating a Waterside Cultural Hub"

Seoul City Finalizes Rapid Integrated Planning Proposal
Everyone Can Access Han River via Green Pedestrian Paths in Complex
'Public Contribution' Cultural Park Connected to Jamsugyo Walkway

Shinbanpo 2nd Complex in Seocho-gu, Seoul, will be transformed into a residential complex of 2,000 households harmonized with the Han River through reconstruction. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to develop this apartment complex into a waterfront leisure and cultural hub that integrates the Han River with green spaces and pedestrian pathways.

On the 27th, Seoul announced the finalization of the rapid integrated planning proposal for the reconstruction of Shinbanpo 2nd Complex. The Shinbanpo 2nd Complex, which is over 40 years old, urgently needed improvements to its residential environment. However, the project was delayed due to resident conflicts over securing Han River views and unit size distribution during the reconstruction process. Within six months, Seoul devised a planning proposal that leverages the location’s strengths along the Han River by easing height restrictions, gaining residents’ consensus and putting the project back on track.

According to the finalized rapid integrated planning proposal for the reconstruction of Shinbanpo 2nd Complex, the area will be transformed into a residential complex of up to 50 floors and 2,050 households, blending the Han River with the urban environment.

Location Map of Sinbanpo 2nd Complex

To achieve this, Seoul included four planning principles under the goal of creating a “waterfront specialized complex that shares the vitality of the Han River.” These are: ① Creating attractive Han Riverfront landscapes through specialized design ② Forming green and pedestrian networks considering the Han Riverfront location ③ Activating living streets that bring vitality to the city center ④ Establishing facilities shared with local residents.

First, considering the site’s characteristic of facing the Han River for about 600 meters, a viewing corridor of over 30 meters was opened to secure diverse skylines and openness, and specialized buildings were placed along the public pedestrian path. Additionally, by flexibly applying height plans during creative and innovative design, a three-dimensional skyline symbolizing Seoul and the Han River is expected to be formed.

Second, as a representative residential complex along the Han River, the city maximized the locational advantage of being adjacent to the river. The underutilized green space on the northern side of the site was incorporated into the area and redesigned as a walkable forest trail, enabling local residents to access the Han River directly from anywhere.

In particular, following the “Great Han River Project” announced by Seoul on the 9th, once the Jamsu Bridge is fully pedestrianized, the cultural park created through public contributions at Shinbanpo 2nd Complex will be linked with Jamsu Bridge (pedestrian bridge), becoming a waterfront leisure and cultural hub where Seoul citizens can enjoy views of the Han River and relaxation.

Third, community facilities and street-type commercial spaces will be arranged along major pedestrian routes to activate the streetscape and create an open complex toward the waterfront. A lively pedestrian path will be established from the Express Bus Terminal to the Han River, and waterfront cultural facilities (community facilities) will be placed along the Han Riverfront and opened to the general public, breaking down the boundaries with the waterfront.

Finally, currently underutilized public facilities will be converted into public facilities needed by the community, achieving a balance between public interest and business feasibility in the reconstruction project. Instead of including the dead-end road located on the northern side of the site, a wide pedestrian path will be created along the Han Riverfront, and public facilities such as a public office (security center) and public housing necessary for the area will be secured.

With the finalization of the rapid integrated planning proposal for the reconstruction of Shinbanpo 2nd Complex, the city expects the maintenance plan decision to be completed within the year. Due to the simplification of the rapid integrated planning process, the review by the Urban Planning Committee’s delegated subcommittee and the integration of related reviews during the project implementation plan are expected to significantly shorten the project period.

Jo Nam-jun, Director of the Urban Planning Bureau of Seoul, said, “We focused on creating rest and leisure spaces by connecting the complex and the Han River with green pedestrian paths and diversifying the skyline so that citizens can feel the potential of the Han River up close,” adding, “Please look forward to the innovative appearance of the Han Riverfront residential area that will change through rapid integrated planning.”

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