Gangbuk's Urban Landscape to Change... Creating Spaces to Stay

Seoul Launches Design Landscape Project

Targeting Gwangjang Market Entrance, Chang-dong Station Area, and More

Naksan Fortress Trail Summit to Become a Nightscape Landmark

Seoul City is embarking on a major overhaul of the urban landscape in the Gangbuk area. The main goal is to go beyond simple environmental improvements and transform city spaces into design-focused areas where walkability, tourism, culture, and nighttime scenery are integrated. The city expects this initiative to breathe new life into the so-called “Gangbuk Golden Age.”

On April 21, Seoul City announced that it will officially launch the “Design Landscape Project,” aiming to improve the urban landscape throughout the Gangbuk region, starting with Jongno 5-ga this year.

Seoul City 'Design Landscape Project' Site. Seoul City

The area around Exits 7 and 8 of Jongno 5-ga Station, covering about 130 square meters, serves as a central hub for visitors to Gwangjang Market and Cheonggyecheon. The city plans to introduce design rest facilities and ambient lighting here, creating a landmark “meeting place.” In particular, visitor convenience will be prioritized by installing design facilities that enhance relaxation, reorganizing the surrounding environment to create a stay-type space. Taking advantage of the site’s unique feature as an area beneath large trees, the goal is to create a generous and inclusive rest area with multiple benches gathered under mature trees.

In addition, nighttime landscape lighting will be installed to brighten dark areas and improve pedestrian safety. The city aims to provide a safer and more pleasant nightscape for citizens and tourists visiting Gwangjang Market and Cheonggyecheon. This project will be implemented according to Seoul City’s design guidelines and universal design principles for pedestrian accessibility, with completion targeted for October this year.

Beginning with the Jongno 5-ga project, Seoul City plans to expand the design landscape improvement initiative across the entire Gangbuk area, including Gangbuk-gu, Dobong-gu, and Jongno-gu, which were selected last year through the “Design Landscape Project District Contest.”

The area around Chang-dong Station in Dobong-gu is undergoing major development, including a privately funded station, an integrated transfer center, and the Seoul Arena, transforming it into a core hub in the northeastern region that combines cultural, transportation, and commercial functions. In line with these changes in urban structure, the city will apply pedestrian-oriented public design that extends cultural content to the streets.

Although 4·19-ro in Gangbuk-gu is home to rich historical and cultural resources, it currently lacks recognition and a strong sense of place. With key sites such as the National 4·19 Democratic Cemetery, the 4·19 Revolution Memorial Hall, and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary History located here, the city plans to develop the area as a landmark for cultural and leisure activities under the concept of a “Street of Memories Connected by Light.”

The Naksan Fortress Trail in Jongno-gu, which has gained attention as a prime viewing spot alongside the spread of K-culture, will be equipped with a three-dimensional observation facility to establish it as a leading tourist destination where visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of downtown Seoul from the summit. By creating a landscape that blends day and night through changes in light, the city aims to make it a stay-type space where visitors can linger for extended periods.

The design landscape improvement projects in the Chang-dong Station area of Dobong-gu, 4·19-ro in Gangbuk, and Naksan in Jongno-gu are scheduled for design completion in 2026, with construction targeted for completion in 2027. Choi Inkyu, Director of Design Policy at Seoul City, stated, “This design landscape initiative will help unlock the potential of the Gangbuk region and rediscover the city’s appeal. Based on walkability, sense of place, experiential value, and sustainability, we aim to make Seoul a design landscape city where citizens and tourists alike can visit, stay, and share experiences.”

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