Seoul cuts red tape to transform city with bold new architecture

A residential area marked for redevelopment in Mapo District, Seoul / Yonhap

Seoul is moving to speed up one of its most ambitious urban design initiatives, betting that faster approvals and wider participation can transform private developments into publicly accessible landmarks across the city.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it will overhaul its Urban and Architectural Design Innovation Project, a program introduced in 2023 to encourage developers to create architecturally distinctive buildings paired with publicly accessible open spaces.

Under the revised system, the city plans to reduce the average project review timeline from more than two years to about 17 months by streamlining administrative procedures and consolidating approval stages.

Officials said the changes are intended to help creative proposals move more quickly from concept to construction while preserving key design elements and public access commitments throughout the development process.

The program offers incentives such as relaxed height and floor-area-ratio regulations to private developers that incorporate innovative architecture and civic spaces into their projects.

So far, 19 sites have been selected under the initiative, including the former Emart site in Seongsu-dong, which is expected to become the new headquarters of game developer Krafton by 2028. Other projects include redesigned office buildings in Gwancheol-dong and Daechi-dong, an hourglass-inspired proposal for Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong and a tourism complex in Hyoje-dong that reinterprets the curved lines of traditional hanok architecture.

The city said the program has also expanded public open spaces in dense urban areas, including a rest area connected to Seoul Forest, a sunken plaza in Seocho District, and rooftop observatories integrated into mixed-use developments.

To address criticism that benefits have been concentrated in affluent southern districts, Seoul said it will introduce incentives for projects in areas outside of Gangnam and on smaller sites under 5,000 square meters.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.