Subject:
Post-human Urbanity: A Biosynthetic Future on Namsan
Introduction:
The main goal of the international competition, sponsored by the UIA World Congress, Seoul 2017,is to solicit new visions for a central site in Seoul, with a particular focus on biosynthetic ecology as a vehicle for urban regeneration. The Metropolitan
Government of Seoul has recently shifted its direction for urban growth toward a more socially sustainable model of urban regeneration, encouraging the residents
and community groups to initiate change from the bottom up. The competition expects to generate thoughtful and provocative ideas for Haebangchon, which is a village on Namsan and one of the most important regeneration sites in Seoul.
Theme:
A challenge for the competition is to formulate an updated vision of a more organic city, in which humans are but one among many participants in the intricately intertwined spectrum of life. For non-human animals to occupy a more visible place in our cities, we need to reprioritize our urban infrastructures. The modern city’s obsession with hygiene and sterility will be challenged by adapting a new filter of animality for assessing the biosynthetic sustainablity of a new habitat, conceived as a demonstration of posthuman urbanity.
Through a broader survey of the urban community of Haebangchon on Namsan-both real and imagined, and through architectural reincarnation in various forms of hidden public spaces, the ideal proposals shall address and challenge key concepts regarding post-human community, biosynthetic diversity, social sustainability, and urban regeneration.
Site:
Haebangchon(“Liberation Village”) is located on the south side of Namsan in Seoul, between the forest of Namsan Park and the Yongsan US Army Base, which is planned for conversion into a large urban park. Used as a shooting range for the Japanese troops during the colonial period, the first settlers of Haebangchon were repatriates returning from overseas and migrants from North Korea after Korea regained independence in 1945.After the Korean War, war refugees settled in the area and built one of Seoul’s first shanty towns. During the rapid industrialization of the 1970s,Haebangchon provided homes for urban migrants.
Haebangchon’s adminstrative name is Yongsandong 2-ga,and encompasses 2.04km² of area, with a population of 12,000 in 2015.The previous redevelopment plans for Haebangchon, first labeled as “Kangbuk U-turn Project”in 2006 calling for large apartment blocks, and later replaced by “Green Corridor”plan in 2009 which would have turned the area into a wildlife reserve, faced harsh criticism and were finally cancelled by the city. The current plan for Haebangchon calls for a more gradual urban regeneration which will preserve the existing urban fabric and retain the current community intact, while fostering economic revitalization.
Proposed Site for Intervention：
Sowolro 20-gil(street)runs along the ridge of the hill, between Haebangchon Ogeori (intersection of five streets at the top of Haebanchon)and the Haebangchon Cathedral, and it is one of the main commercial thoroughfares, with Sinheung Market in the middle and Bosung Girls’ High School beyond the cathedral.
Eligibility：
•The competition materials should be written in English.
•Open to students enrolled in universities, or young designers in any fields with less than 10 years after graduation.
•Multi-disciplinary teams, with 3 members maximum.
•Entrants are required to prove their eligibility to accept prizes.
Schedule:
Registration opens July 1,2016
Registration deadline February 28, 2017
Submission deadline May 31, 2017
Announcement of wining entries June, 2017
Awards & exhibition September, 2017
Competition Convenor:
Jae Uk Chong Architect Professor (Dankook University)
Jury:
Chair of the Jury
Minsuk Cho Architect (Massstudies)
Jury members
Choon Choi Professor (Seoul National University)
Gwangya Han Professor (Dankook University)
Marc Brossa Architect
Laurent Pereira Architect
Prizes:
1st prize (1 team) Certificate and 5,000,000 KW
2nd prize (2 team) Certificate and 2,500,000 KW
3rd prize (5 team) Certificate and 1,000,000 KW
Honorable mentions (20 team) Certificate
More information(competition materials, registration & upload):
http://www.uia2017seoul.org/notice/Competition.asp
Contact:
competition@uia2017seoul.org
