The Hullyeonwon Park, which was constructed in a military training ground, is becoming a all-purpose exercise facility together with the Gyeongseong Stadium, which is a modern sport facility. Although the Hullyeonwon Park has periodic characteristics ...
The Hullyeonwon Park, which was constructed in a military training ground, is becoming a all-purpose exercise facility together with the Gyeongseong Stadium, which is a modern sport facility. Although the Hullyeonwon Park has periodic characteristics in the history of development of modern parks, very few research has been conducted on it. The analysis of the Hullyeonwon Park space configuration and area transition process revealed the following. First, in the Joseon Dynasty, the Hullyeonwon facility was located in a flat area inside the eastern walls of Seoul city Wall. The open space located at the front of the government training building was used for military training. However, in 1907, as the military force was disbanded, the character of this space started to change. Second, the Hullyeonwon Park was built in September, 1919, but the park was completed in April, 1921.
Since there were plans of transforming it into a sport stadium in the future, not many facilities that would characterize it as a park were introduced.
Furthermore, the introduction of sport facilities in the site downsized even more its functionality as a park. Third, the Gyeongseong Stadium was constructed in 1925 at the location where the lake of the Hullyeonwon Park was to commemorate Hirohito’s marriage. The Gyeongseong Stadium was a sport complex with an athletic field, a ballpark, a tennis court, and a pool. In the Gyeongseong Stadium, events to solidify the Japanese colonial system and raise the national pride of Korea were carried out. Rest areas were reduced by the construction of stadium facilities, and the park site was sold as school ground for budget expansion, which accelerated the reduction of the area.
Fourth, After the liberation of Korea, the Gyeongseong Stadium had its name changed into Seoul Stadium, and then into Dongdaemun Stadium, and was finally demolished in 2007. A national medical center was constructed in the land were the Hullyeonwon park originally was. Due to this, in 1997, the Hullyeonwon Park was newly created where it is now. Now the historical military training center remains in name only, having been transformed into a children’s playground with underground commercial facilities linked to Dongdaemun’s commercial district. In this research, the Hullyeonwon Park construction process, spatial components, boundaries, and functional changes were examined. This research is expected to increase the understanding of the characteristics and history of the Hullyeonwon Park.