| Title |
Interpreting Walkability in Recent Architectural Competitions for Waterfront Revitalization |
| Authors |
김예리(Kim, Yerie) ; 박소현(Park, Sohyun) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2025.41.2.129 |
| Keywords |
Waterfront space; Walkability; Architectural design competition; Competition guidelines; Keyword analysis; Public architecture |
| Abstract |
In Korea, rivers have traditionally been managed with a focus on water supply and flood control. Recently, concerns have shifted toward
limited accessibility, safety issues, and aesthetic disruptions in waterfront spaces. In response, Seoul established the Waterfront Sensibility
Department and introduced new objectives in the 2040 Seoul Urban General Plan, emphasizing walkability and urban space restructuring
around waterfronts. This study examines the guidelines and winning entries from 14 design competitions aimed at revitalizing waterfront areas
along small rivers in Seoul. The objective is to analyze how walkable public spaces are addressed in the competition guidelines, interpreted
in winning designs and to highlight the importance of well-structured guidelines in improving public architecture quality. The analysis applies
eight of Forsyth's (2015) nine walkability themes, focusing on word frequency, keyword clusters, and the extent to which these themes are
reflected in the guidelines. The study also evaluates how frequently addressed walkability themes are translated into architectural designs by
the competition winners. Results reveal that the guidelines conceptualize small river waterfronts as everyday spaces rather than major
landmarks, aligning with the city’s urban master plans. However, keyword analysis indicates a lack of interconnectedness among themes,
limiting the translation of urban master plan visions into detailed, practical goals for each site. Additionally, many winning designs frequently
proposed similar features such as terraces, cafes, and walking trails, without fully considering neighborhood contexts. This repetition suggests
insufficient integration of walkability themes in the guidelines. The findings underscore the need for more cohesive, detailed, and
interconnected guideline content to effectively transform small river waterfronts into vibrant public spaces that enhance everyday life in Seoul. |