• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.185-198
• /
• 2013

The 2002 World Cup cheering in front of Seoul City Hall and Seoul Plaza design competition provided an opportunity for the discussion of a variety of discourses regarding our plaza culture. The Gwanghwamun Plaza constructed in 2009 also generated discussions for questions on the function of our plaza as a symbolic, humanistic and utilized place. The questions on whether we have created a plaza culture or what should be done for the design of our plaza are still being explored. The reason is that our plazas were constructed without social consensus regarding identity of our plaza while we are influenced by western plaza ideas. The principle of our plaza culture and shape is not yet discussed and determined. The emergence of discussion sparked by the Gwanghwamun Plaza and the Seoul Plaza can be seen as a positive phenomenon. If we can continue to build creative discourse, we will be able to establish our plaza cultures soon. In this context, the Ansan Gwangduk-ro theme plaza design can be a significant material to be discussed. The design competition for the plaza was held in 2009 and it is followed by the construction of the plaza in late 2010. Considering cultural and spatial issues on our plaza in mind, the project will be explained and the identity of the contemporary design will also be explored.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.163-174
• /
• 1994

In November of 1994, The Seoul Metropolitan Government celebrates its sixth centennial anniversary of becoming the capital city of Korea. In celebration of this anniversary, the Government decided to construct a plaza and sought design proposals in March of 1994. The authors collaborated on a design for the Time Capsule Plaza Competition and won fourth place among twenty-six entries. In the authors' design, the traditional oriental concept of time resonates within the site through the shape of a clock, a unique planting style, and an "Ancestral Tomb" which has a time capsule inside. The plaza is meant to be a symbol of the passage of time, the cycles of nature, and the repetitive actions of man. As for the spatial composition of the plaza, in accordance with the traditional Korean way of spatial arrangement, the plaza is divided into three parts: entry, primary, and secondary spaces. In reality, the plaza is created with the primary goal of providing modern outdoor space for people to rest and gather through the creation of pleasant environments and the introduction of traditional Korean garden elements.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• no.40
• /
• pp.52-59
• /
• 2003

Complex-cultural facilities in the contemporary era are significantly influenced by the anti-modernism and space relativism movement of the 20th century. Complex-cultural facilities have the complex-layered space. In many contemporary buildings, this complex-layered space has void center space within it which primarily functions as indoor plaza. This study pays attention to the fact that the design of indoor plaza has developed differently in Europe and the US, which vividly demonstrates spatial relativism in contemporary buildings. With this backdrop, I analyze the architectural and cultural backgrounds of indoor plaza in Europe and the US. In addition, I examine the cultural functions and visual interpretation of indoor plaza in the regions to compare the design features and functionality.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.34-45
• /
• 2003

The motivation for transforming the Seoul City Hall plaza into place for pedestrians was prompted by the 2002 World cup event. This place has diverse time layers ranging from the Yi-dynasty to the present. Around city hall, diverse cultural assets and distinctive architecture are scattered. The place is a kind of melting pot that represents different times and cultures in the city. Transforming place for cars into place for citizens suggest several implications in city making policy such as high priority for pedestrians in urban design and enhancement of the public open spaces through downtown remodelling. Our plan is to propose the idea of Media plaza. One of the characteristics of Seoul now can be summarized as Media because the W industry and infrastructure are well developed in the city. ´Seoul Media Plaza´ adopts high-tech infrastructures such as RGB color post, multi box, I-Gate, etc as design materials. Three concepts of the plan are ´evolutionary plan´, ´flexible plan´, and ´participatory plan´. First, the plan will embrace the future changes of external conditions. Second, the plan should be flexible to accomodate the diverse activities in the plaza. Another special aspect of the plan is a kind of open plan. The ground surface of the plaza will be changed in its pattern and shape by citizen participation. Finally, the ´Seoul Media Plaza´ attempts to represent the spirit of Seoul and to connect the past, the present and the future while promoting citizen participation.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• no.19
• /
• pp.38-44
• /
• 1999

This study examines the use of public space in the urban environment based on the theory of Italian plazas as a theatre. Public space is considered as a symbolic representation of the urban organizatiov. In history, especially in Italy, the plaza was a common tool in reflecting people's lives through its use as a theatre. However, this role of plaza as a public space has lost its value with the population increase and the urban centralization of the city. This study attempts to reevaluate the needed of public space in modern society through a critical review of plaza and its use as a theatre. Content analysis was used to discuss the topics of this study including the historical background of the urban plaza, the relationship between plaza and theatre, and the role of public space and its impact on urban environment. The scope of the study is limited to the development of urban plaza from the ancient Greek to premodern Italy. Today, the concept of space is altered with the advent of cyberspace, This study provides insights for the future implications of plaza and theatre in developing public space for its a new definition as cultural representatiov.

• Journal of architectural history
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.83-95
• /
• 2008

This study was firstly to reflect upon the background of the generation and the urban spatial value and significance of the medieval plaza. The main aim of this study was to extract the spatial determinants which give the great influence on the formation of the medieval plaza and in addition the endogenous rules and aesthetical grounds regarding the respective elements. Especially they could be applied to the design guideline. They are dimension(volume and scale), shape, elevation as the morphological elements and enclosure, proportion, grade difference, spatial sequence and plaza group as the spatial determinants and visual sequence, visual or spatial boundary, approaching axis and perspective effect as the aesthetic and visual elements and function(use), human behaviour as the social-behavioral elements and otherwise, for instance, plaza furniture, ground decoration and vegetation. This study was intended to analyze each elements based on the classical historical literatures and to suggest the planning conditions for composing the ideal plaza referring to the cases and literature review on the medieval plaza and finally is expected to contribute to the plaza design methodology.

• Archives of design research
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.215-222
• /
• 2002

Through this research, I intend to examine the possibility of utilizing the plaza in front of a station as a citizen plaza within the city, which citizen can use actively. Until now, the plaza in front of a station is utilized as a traffic square. As part of this examination, I'll consider a plaza generally and analyse the present condition of the plaza in front of a station as well as physical environment. Then I will grasp the present condition and problems. Through this, 1 intend to extract basic materials enough to find the possibility of the plaza in front of a station as a citizen resting place.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.35 no.1 s.120
• /
• pp.20-27
• /
• 2007

This paper presents a landscape design for the meeting plaza around the "Myeonmok" subway station. The site is located at 120-1 Myeonmok 1-dong, Jnngrang-gu, Seoul, and its area is approximately $2,664.7m^2$. The goal of the design was to make an environmentally friendly meeting and rest place which was related to the subway station. To achieve this goal, concepts of history, tradition, sense of place, community, environmental friendliness, and function were developed. For history, stone sculpture and art tiles symbolizing the paleolithic area were introduced because the site is located near an archaeological site of paleolithic min. For tradition, considering that the site is a 'sailing ship' form in terms of Pungsu theory, a sculpture symbolizing a sailing ship and paving patterns symbolizing waves were introduced. For asense of place, a grass hill, a waterfall and a pond symbolizing an old meadow for horse pasture was introduced. In addition, a multi-purpose round plaza as a meeting place for local community and subway users was proposed. A zelkova grove symbolizing a village forest was proposed for a restand relaxation area. All areas were designed to be environmentally friendly and barrier-free. Concepts for a defensible space wereadapted for safety because the site was a crime-prone area.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.11-22
• /
• 2017

A plaza represents the identity of a city, and that reveals a plaza's importance. Gwanghwamun Plaza and Seoul Plaza are two representative plazas where the citizens can freely express their opinions. Many major plazas in the center of Seoul were built under the Japanese occupation. Among these, the plaza of Joseon Bank has different characteristics than Gwanghwamun Plaza and Seoul Plaza. Even though this plaza was built in the center of the commercial, administrational, and cultural district during the Japanese colonial period, the research on this plaza has been limited. This study was conducted to verify the features of this plaza by analyzing its construction and transformation during the Japanese colonial period. The study's results outline how the plaza was constructed by the Japanese administration. The intention of the government is shown by the fact that it purchased land parcels and held a design competition. In the 1910s, the government purchased seven parcels of land during the expansion of roads as the place for the plaza. During the late 1930s, the government accepted a traffic circle to regulate the traffic and eliminate the conflict between crossing movements. In 1939, a fountain was built in the plaza's center, and its design was selected through a design competition. It was planned as a square, but gradually turned into a rotary. Furthermore, the plaza was a landmark and symbol of the power and modernity of Japan. As the main modal point of public transportation, the plaza became surrounded with largescale Western-style buildings, commercial advertising, and neon signs. The plaza became a place where people could experience the modern city. These spectacular displays showed that Japanese imperialism was perceived as a strange and peculiar landscape to the majority of Korean citizens. This study investigates the history and characteristics of the plaza, focusing on its beginning as well as the transformation of its form. As to the limitations of the study, it does not consider political and economic contexts within the transformation of Seoul and in relation to this plaza. Instead, that research remains for a future study.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.39-48
• /
• 2003

The Office of Korean National Railroads announced a design competition for Kwangyang Station and sought design proposals in October of 2002. The authors collaborated on a landscape design for Kwangyang Station and earned first prize in the competition. The Office decided to construct outdoor public spaces of Kwangyang Station for railroad users, visitors and staff, and local residents. The landscape design covers the following: site inventory and analysis; integration of design program and site analysis; evaluation of design concept; selecting a winning design alternative; schematic design including circulation form and spatial form; and design development including subarea design. In the design process, the authors focused on the integration and interpretation of site conditions as related to the Kwangyang Station building. They also collectively analyzed and considered the physical development of the outdoor spaces of Kwangyang Station. The following are some of the major areas in the design of the outdoor spaces of Kwangyang Station: 1) a plaza for waiting, 2) an entry area for passengers, 3) a train cafeteria, 4) a cultural plaza, 5) an image wall, and 6) a symbolic pond. The plaza for waiting is created as a place for users to wait and rest. The entry area for passengers provides an area for pedestrians approaching, passing and strolling. The train cafeteria features trains, lawns, grasses and trees. The cultural plaza is a main area representing the regional characteristics of Kwangyang. This plaza also provides an area for various public events. The image wall is meant to be an exhibition space for displaying the advancements of Korean National Railroads in sculptural image forms. The symbolic pond consists of an area with symbolic water features and several sculptures with artistic value. In the authors' design, the outdoor spaces of Kwangyang station are created as a new type of public realm with function, regional quality, original identity, cultural context, symbolic meaning and images, and beauty. The designed spaces would be one of the most representative places of interest and attraction in Kwangyang.