South Korea's capital was relocated to Hanyang (present-day Seoul) in the 1390s. Seoul has grown and developed with a focus on economic efficiency throughout the process of modernization. On the flip side, the city has become more cut off from the benefits provided by Mother Nature featuring its mountains, streams, winds, etc.

At the 4th (2023) Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, it is hoped that this open competition will serve as an active forum in which participants discuss how to overcome the relevant obstacles.

Since the late 1950s post-Korean War period (1950-1953), Seoul Metropolitan's administrative zones have been expanded with a population boom associated with the rapid expansion of the city. Plans for the city's urban development were focused on expansion of roads and supply of housing along with the development of technologies, which has led to elements of nature being overlooked in comparison. Seoul offers unique elements of nature that not present elsewhere in the world including Europe and the U.S., and these are precious heritage that we must preserved and passed down for future generations to appreciate. Many urban planners and architects point to the destruction of cities due to unfettered and haphazard development, but there are no comprehensive responses or custom-tailored plans prepared to improve the situation.

Many factors are intricately entangled with each other as to urban planning of Seoul City, making it not easy to draw a plan. That being the case, we intend to formulate a basic roadmap for an idealistic and eco-friendly city through the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, and establish a sound basis for an urban plan geared to Seoul for the next 100 years based on it.

It is not realistic to attempt to set a short-term urban for the entire city of Seoul. Thus, we plan to engage in a 'study' by selecting some major urban spaces with respect to the characteristic elements that Seoul retains through this open competition. If helpful and intelligent ideas can be provided for the Hangang River to flow through the city and villages close to the mountains, they can equally be applied to other cities with similar characteristics. As such, this open competition will serve an opportunity to regain Seoul's original identity, while reconfiguring it as a futuristic city, and unveiling its environmental/ topographical features to the fullest.

[Land Architecture, Land Urbanism: City of mountain ranges, waterways, and wind breezes: drawing of Seoul's Next 100 years.]

The Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism is an event where participants ask insightful questions about the cities we live in and contemplate and discuss their future visions. At the past three events, participants listened to the case studies of the other cities around the world and experts' opinions and discussed what the future of Seoul would look like. At the event held in 2023, participants will engage in multi-layered discussions about Seoul.

The Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2023 ("the Seoul Biennale 2023") will be composed of a total of five exhibitions under the theme "Land Architecture, Land Urbanism."

The five exhibitions include the thematic exhibition presenting the concept and discourses related to the theme, guest city exhibition introducing cities around the world, an On-site project exhibition where people can get hands-on experience on the theme, a global studio exhibition, which serves as an arena for discussion among students of the world studying architecture, and Seoul 100-year Masterplan Exhibition listening to the global opinions about the future of Seoul.

The Seoul 100-year Masterplan Exhibition will explore good works through the open competition. A team with the most interesting ideas and a variety of analyses as to Seoul and the theme will be selected. Then the selected team will work together with general supervisor, curators, and other experts until 2023 to create the work, which will be introduced at the Seoul Biennale 2023. 

[Purpose]

Sharing the vision of turning Seoul into an eco-friendly, densely populated city with a cohesive flow 100 years ahead with citizens of the world by making its natural/ topographical features known to more people globally and linking the paths of mountains, streams, and winds again.

[Scope]

  • TYPE “A” through “G” (Seven categories) to be chosen freely by participants
  • The boundary of the sites covered by the open competition is not supposed to be delineated clearly. Participants may freely select the site and its vicinity and make their own suggestions(development)

[Focal Point]

  • Open competition for ideas
  • Free submission of creative / imaginative ideas

[Eligibility]

  • No specific limitations(regardless of nationality or age)
  • Any group or an individual can take part
  • Participants can be an architect, architectural designer, urban planner, researcher, writer, artist, critic, student, or a corresponding group, but not restricted to one of the above professions
  • -The members of a participating team should not number more than 10, including individuals and institutions
  • A participating team should designate a team leader that will represent it and serve as the representative in charge during the entire process. The team members shall provide their consent that all legal rights/ obligations shall be exercised by the leader
  • Each participant may only take part in one of the types (TYPE A ~ G). No one is allowed to submit more than one proposal concerning a category