[Seoul's Future] Director Lee Young-beom "The Core of Innovation Cities is Connection, Yongsan Development Must Also Be Approached Organically"

Asia Economy Seoul Future Forum - Lecture on Yongsan's Future
'Change in Urban Space Paradigm' is Important... "The Key is Connection"
"The Urban Completion Process Must Be Found in 'Mosaic Planning'"

"Finding the broken links is ultimately the task that innovation cities must undertake."

At the center of the future Yongsan envisioned by Lee Young-beom, Director of the Architecture and Space Research Institute, lies the connection between 'nation and region,' 'space and life,' and 'policy and daily living.' His logic is that the direction for Yongsan's development must be found in the answer to the question, "Why are some cities more innovative than others?" On the 26th, Lee emphasized this at the Seoul Future Forum hosted by Asia Economy under the theme "The Future of Yongsan." On that day, he delivered a lecture titled "A Great Transformation of Urban Space ? A Different Perspective on Yongsan."

Lee Young-beom, Director of the Architectural Space Research Institute, is giving a lecture titled "A Great Transformation of Urban Space - A Different Perspective on Yongsan" at the "2024 Seoul Future Forum: The Future of Yongsan" held on the 26th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Lee identified the most important issue to address as the "paradigm shift in urban space." He explained that today's cities face challenges such as the climate crisis, zero energy, carbon neutrality, as well as problems like the disappearance of local cities due to low birth rates and aging populations, and spatial polarization. Therefore, it is necessary to find a new urban growth paradigm that can serve as a breakthrough.

The core is "connection." He emphasized that the process of completing a city should be found in "mosaic planning," a technique that, although divided into small pixels, ultimately completes one picture. His argument is that cities should be approached as an organic concept constructed step-by-step and gradually, rather than being fragmented into parts. Lee’s assertion that social problems can be solved through the process of Yongsan’s reinvention is expected to attract attention as a new concept in the overall urban redevelopment process.

He stressed that this is a concept different from a megacity. Lee said, "As cities continuously grow, terms like megacity and megacity region have emerged, with cities constantly competing and expanding," adding, "The foundation that supported such urban growth was the inherent attributes of cities?capital and ownership."

However, he argued that a new approach must be applied to the simultaneous projects underway in Yongsan, such as the opening of Yongsan Park, the development of Yongsan Maintenance Depot, and the reorganization of Yongsan Station. Lee explained, "Yongsan Park should be examined more carefully as a complex spatial content that combines a memory space recording history with the realization of green democracy." He also pointed to a "sustainable pedestrian city network" as the starting point for Yongsan’s organic development. Even if development occurs sporadically, the city must be planned so that citizens can easily and quickly share the various functions and facilities created by the development.

He stated that the space between Yongsan Park and Yongsan Station should include an ecological environmental axis based on Nodeul Island and Namsan, as well as a future city axis equipped with a compact city and a wide-area transportation network. Ultimately, this will serve as a hub for future innovation cities, and in the long term, it is not just the future of Yongsan but the future of the national territory and the country, according to Lee.

Additionally, he expressed the opinion that the role of Yongsan should be newly reflected in the "2040 Seoul Urban Basic Plan" announced by Seoul City last year. Lee said, "In terms of potential, Yongsan is not a function that supports Yeouido’s advanced financial innovation but a future innovation cluster superior to the three central business districts," adding, "It is even more necessary to establish it as a new axis of Seoul based on innovative mobility."

Lee Young-beom, Director of the Architectural Space Research Institute, is giving a lecture on the theme "A Great Transformation of Urban Space - A Different Perspective on Yongsan" at the "2024 Seoul Future Forum: The Future of Yongsan" held on the 26th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

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