How Seoul incentivises developers to build with character

Seoul’s Seongdong district demonstrates one way that city leaders can actively shape the development of new buildings that make citizens proud.

Seongdong, an area which has been called the ‘Brooklyn of Seoul’, is widely celebrated for its industrial heritage – one key part of which is the characteristic red brick used in its exteriors. As part of the transformation of Seongdong from a declining industrial area into a major cultural and commercial district, the local authority introduced a ‘Red Brick Building Support Project’ to extend the area’s architectural identity.

Building owners can receive direct subsidies to cover up to half of construction or renovation costs (capped at 20 million won) for including red brick façades, a key feature of the area’s industrial heritage.

Following the huge commercial success of a pilot program initially targeting around 30 buildings, the local government has steadily expanded the designated ‘red brick zones’ across the entire neighbourhood.

This backing has created a coherent urban look that blends old and new, attracting creative businesses. Renowned brand pop-ups and flagship concept stores have matched the area’s historic buildings with new and innovative designs, and become an attraction in their own right.

Seongdong shows that targeted subsidies, if tied to design principles, can move cities towards more distinctive, locally meaningful architecture.

Images

Top: B.Round by SOSu Architects (image: Kyung Roh)

Above: W-Mission HQ by Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten + BCHO Partners (image: YuChen Chao)