[Seoul's Future] "The Core Charm of the Seine River is 'Accessibility'... It Must Be Reborn as an 'Everyday Space'"

Interview with Patricia Pelu, APUR Deputy Director
and Choi Mina, LH Senior Researcher

Editor's NoteSeoul recently announced a plan to elevate the city's urban competitiveness to 5th place through the 'Great Hangang Project.' By enhancing the convenience and appeal of the Hangang River, the goal is to improve citizens' quality of life and transform it into a globally beloved tourist destination. In this regard, the Seine River in Paris is considered a representative role model for Hangang development. Accordingly, Asia Economy conducted a written interview with Patricia Pelloux, Deputy Director of the Paris Urban Planning Institute (APUR), who directly planned the Seine River project, and an in-person interview with Dr. Minah Choi, a French urban planning expert with a Ph.D. in Architecture from Paris 8 University, currently working as a senior researcher at LH.

"Improving river accessibility so that both citizens and tourists can visit is essential." (Patricia Pelloux, Deputy Director of APUR)

"As the Paris Seine riverside transformed into a pedestrian, relaxation, and leisure-centered space, it became a daily living space for citizens and increased its appeal as a tourist attraction." (Dr. Minah Choi, Senior Researcher at LH)

Deputy Director Pelloux and Dr. Choi cited improved accessibility to the Seine River and strengthened urban connectivity as the reasons why the Seine became a world-renowned tourist destination. As it transformed into an attractive space that citizens could enjoy in their daily lives, it also became more beloved by tourists. The following is a Q&A.

Patricia Pelloux, Deputy Director of APUR (left), and Minah Choi, Senior Researcher at LH.

- Why has the Paris Seine become a world-famous tourist attraction?

▲ Dr. Minah Choi: The Seine has long been a beloved place for both citizens and tourists. However, recently, as accessibility to the riverside improved and it transformed into a center for leisure and relaxation, it became an even more crowded place for citizens and tourists alike. This was due to proactive policies aimed at transforming the riverside into a central space for citizens' daily lives. The Seine embankment, which was used as a highway for cars, was converted into pedestrian-only promenades and spaces for leisure, relaxation, and culture, significantly changing the usage patterns of the riverside. It began with the 'Paris Plages' initiative launched in 2002. For one month, the Georges Pompidou highway was closed, and sand, palm trees, artificial rock walls, and courts for ball games were installed. As a result, Parisians came out to enjoy sunbathing during the day and took walks or attended concerts in the evening. Since then, it became a cultural and leisure space for citizens and attracted tourists as well.

Citizens are relaxing by the Seine River facing the oldest Pont Neuf bridge in Paris.
Photo by APUR

- What efforts did APUR make to improve accessibility to the Seine?

▲ Deputy Director Pelloux: APUR developed the master plan for the 'Seine Riverside Highway Conversion' project carried out by the City of Paris. The core was transforming the highway along the Seine embankment into pedestrian-only promenades. Starting in 2012, the highway on the right bank of the Seine was converted into a boulevard, and by 2016, it was sequentially transformed into pedestrian-only promenades. The highway between the Orsay Museum and the Eiffel Tower on the left bank was also converted into pedestrian-only promenades.

The results were successful. Previously, citizens could not access the Seine embankment due to the highway, but as it became a waterfront space where people could walk and use, new possibilities emerged. For example, a new restaurant boat was moored at the 'Pont Alexandre III,' and a floating garden composed of five islands was installed at the 'Gros Caillou Pier.' The pier area became a hub for cultural programs such as music and art, as well as sports tracks and gymnastics events. Today, the Solf?rino Pier, Pont Alexandre III Pier, and Gros Caillou Pier are major destinations for citizens and tourists.

- Rich cultural facilities are also cited as an attraction of the Seine. What is the background of having cultural facilities near the river?

▲ Dr. Minah Choi: Historically, the Seine is the birthplace of Paris. Along the Seine riverside, various cultural heritages from the medieval period to the early 20th century naturally settled following the city's development. Leveraging this urban characteristic, during President Fran?ois Mitterrand's administration in 1981, the 'Grands Projets' initiative was implemented to build large-scale cultural and artistic facilities, adding a modern cultural and artistic character to the city. The Orsay Museum, converted from the Orsay train station, and the Mitterrand Library, the French National Library, were established near the Seine during this period.

Importantly, the Grands Projets went beyond simply constructing monumental buildings; they closely connected with urban spaces and improved accessibility to create attractive spaces. Along with building cultural facilities, pedestrian bridges, riverside improvements, swimming pools, and cultural facilities were installed to actively extend urban space to the riverside.

A view of the Seine River in Paris with Saint-Louis Island and ?le de la Cit? visible.
[Photo by APUR]

- Currently, Seoul is promoting the 'Great Hangang Project,' which increases accessibility to the Hangang River and adds tourist attractions such as gondolas, the giant Ferris wheel (Seoulling), and the 2nd Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. What advice do you have regarding Hangang development?

▲ Deputy Director Pelloux: It is true that the Hangang and Seine differ in scale, geography, and history. Nevertheless, the desire to connect the city and river and diversify uses, as Paris did by transforming the Seine embankment highway into the 'Paris Seine Riverside Park,' is a commonality with the Hangang. In Paris, creating easily accessible bridges, promenades, rooftops, and enhancing public transportation accessibility proved effective. In that sense, considering the use of gondolas to increase accessibility along the Hangang riverside could be an option.

▲ Dr. Minah Choi: The Seine is narrow and lined continuously with buildings along the river, giving a cozy spatial feeling, whereas the Hangang has areas where it takes over an hour to access, and its wide river width is cut off by two main roads, giving it a vast ocean-like character compared to the Seine. Nevertheless, the direction of the Seine River basin development offers significant implications for Seoul.

What is important is not the nature of individual elements themselves but the location and spatial characteristics of the facilities to be introduced, and how the adjacent urban space is extended to the riverside to create a closely connected relationship with citizens, making it an attractive daily space. When these characteristics are met, the function as a tourist hub will follow as a byproduct. Additionally, at a time when urban sustainability and pedestrian-centered spatial planning are emphasized, programs that enhance accessibility to waterfront spaces and expand leisure and cultural spaces for citizens are positive. If linked with tributaries and streams of the Hangang, the applicability is expected to expand further.

Who is Patricia Pelloux? She is the Deputy Director of the Paris Urban Planning Institute (APUR). After serving as the project manager for the Paris Seine embankment project, she worked as the head of metropolitan research. Currently, she leads research on major scenic heritage sites such as the Seine and canals in Paris, as well as climate change at APUR. APUR is an independent urban planning research institute established by the Paris City Council in 1967.

Who is Dr. Minah Choi? She holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from Paris 8 University and an architectural license from the ?cole Nationale Sup?rieure d'Architecture de Paris-La Villette. She currently works as a senior researcher in urban planning at the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) Land and Housing Research Institute.

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