Abstract
This paper explores critical issues, generated by the design review committees in historic districts, which deal with the construction of contemporary architecture in their historic contexts. The goal is to draw implications from those issues and to propose key points for better operations of design reviews in historic districts. As for the cases, it focuses on the projects of contemporary architecture in Bukchon, Jongno-gu, Seoul since 2006. The research methods include literature reviews, on-site observation, and content analyses of entire design review records since 2006, as well as interview surveys with architects who experienced design reviews in Bukchon. The results indicate that 1) both design reviewers and reviewees were sympathized with the importance of 'context' in historic district but interpretation differences exists from one another. Thus, to build well-designed contemporary architecture in historic districts, the consensus on the specific contents of the 'context' must be achieved and those contents needs to be forged into specific design guidelines and vocabulary. 2) both administrative review and discretionary design review need to be well balanced, and to operate well, design guidelines and guidelines for design review must be specifically organized and be shared by both reviewers and reviewees. This paper contributes to illuminate the shortcomings and problems of design review in historic districts and to providing bases for the improvements of design review system in future studies.