In modern times, the increase in population and the resulting land shortage have pushed the construction of massive, high-rise, and multi-use residential complexes. The outdoor space at a super-high-rise apartment complex is a vital component, serving...
In modern times, the increase in population and the resulting land shortage have pushed the construction of massive, high-rise, and multi-use residential complexes. The outdoor space at a super-high-rise apartment complex is a vital component, serving both as a transverse and structural space, and also as an organized planning factor in creating an external environment for the super-high-rise apartment complex. With the recent crop of super-high-rise apartment complexes, concerns about outdoor space have risen, as every construction company competes in reflecting the residents’ demand for outdoor space, which in turn directs the discrimination of the outdoor space plan. Such outcomes have produced more improvements in quality than in allocated external space in apartment complexes constructed in the past. Although multi-purpose apartments in Seoul have been granted with incentives such as the deregulation of floor space index, the green-belt and proximal parks provided for public use have been closed by such apartments, and this has emerged as a social issue. Also, it is a fact that current housing projects are undertaken with a focus on profitability, resulting in the further deterioration of general citizens’ access and utilization of external space at super-high-rise apartment complexes.
In this study, we investigate the status and actual condition of idle public land among the external space surrounding super-high-rise apartment complexes in the center of the city. We also examined the general problems with the public open space adjacent to super-high-rise apartment complexes by comparing and analyzing five selected apartment complexes. In this paper, we aim to extract general problems with the public open space of super-high-rise apartment complexes based on the analyzed data, and present an external space planning method to enhance its public character.
The scope of this research includes the assessment of public open space and analysis of problems in the aspect of identification, access, convenience, linkage targeted for the public open space among the external aspects of super-high-rise apartment complexes. We selected super-high-rise apartments in Yongsan, Yeoido-Dong, Seocho-Dong, and Jayang-Dong. To comply with our set time period, only those apartments completed since the 2000s were selected.
The research method was a four-stage process: in stage 1, we considered the definition of a super-high-rise structure, the features of external space and public open space, and domestic and foreign related laws based on existing references, related laws, and data to facilitate the understanding of the external space at super-high-rise residences. Stage 2 focused on existing research references and theses, understanding the status and problems with external and public open space in super-high-rise apartment residences. In stage 3, we selected super-high-rise apartment residences, compared and assessed them focusing on the public open space of external space, and examined the problem. Finally, in stage 4, we came up with a plan to revitalize public open space at the external space plan of super-high-rise apartment residences based on the analyzed data.
The material findings of this study are the following.
First, as the result of the analysis of our selected subjects for the public open space index, most public open spaces are judged to be unrecognizably positioned or difficult to identify. In the future, it should be made a practical management measure to make the installation of public facility signals in public open space obligatory, and guide and publicize the presence of public open space to occupants (scheduled).
Second, it was found that convenience and recreational facilities for most public open space were lacking, resulting to a low extent of usage of public open space. To stimulate the use of public open space, it is necessary to specifically present the installation obligation of recreational and convenience facilities considered to naturally and smoothly conduct activities such as recreation, dialogue and walking.
Third, concerning the general public using public open space, much difficulty and inconvenience was found. In particular, the subjects of this study, super-high-rise multi-purpose apartments had remarkably narrow or constricted public open spaces, making it difficult for the public to access or use them. To improve this situation, regulations should be made to clear out these obstacles to make it easy for the public to access public open space.
Fourth, in the parts related to linkage, some public open spaces took on a small-scale development form, which is analyzed as a factor that constricted public open space and debased its efficiency. Linkage with the surrounding space has an effect of concentrating external space into a single public open space, thereby improving the user's access by composing a large-scale recreational space, which must be considered in the design stage. On the other hand, in case of street-formed public open space, some did not consider linkage as a street landscape factor. Therefore, in the future, it should be considered prior to the urban planning stage rather than during the construction plan aspect of planning.
The following are this study’s proposals for the revitalization of public open space based on the above-presented findings.
(1) Legal provision should be established that requires the installation of public signals of a fixed size indicating the existence of the "public open space".
(2) public open space should be indicated in the complex lay-out (guide map)
(3) A provision should be legalized requiring the installation of recreational facilities made available by general users such as benches and agora of a fixed size or spot.
(4) The installation of lighting and other facilities to protect from sunlight, and rainfall should be made compulsory.
(5) Civic activists and Seoul City's managerial and supervisory committee should be organized and vested with regulatory and instructive authority.
(6) public open space evaluation index should be developed and a periodical assessment should be performed to ensure effective maintenance and management.
(7) Maintenance and management status by the relevant management supervisor and occupants' representative should be instituted more than twice a year
(8) Installation of regulatory provisions for obstacles impeding access and passage through public open space should be established.
(9) The incentive provision to the public open space system should be diversified.
(10) General re-maintenance to the provision of public open space scale as the current domestic public open space system should be performed.
(11) There should be a provision to place over 1/2 of public open space area inside the outdoor space in the complex.
(12) public open space linkage system should be established, especially to urban planning facilities such as small parks that are adjacent to the land.
(13) Additional incentive provision at the time of installation as an available facility in bad weather should be established.
It is projected that the construction of super-high-rise apartments will continue in the coming years. In particular, the trends in the advancement and commercialization of super-high-rise apartment residences can be said to maximize concerns about space, making the establishment of public open space vital to a society that lacks community awareness. For this purpose, system maintenance for super-high-rise apartment residences should be urgently secured, and constant research should be carried out to sustain the original intent of public open space.
General problems and reforms presented in this study are expected to be used for the planning and construction of future super-high-rise apartment residence complexes.