Title The Evolution of In-complex Retail in Seoul’s Apartment Complexes, 1970-2024
Authors 신민주(Shin, Minju) ; 강범준(Kang, Bumjoon)
DOI https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.5.251
Page pp.251-262
ISSN 2733-6247
Keywords Apartment Complex; Commercial Facilities; Neighborhood Living Facilities; Typology; Big Data; Point of Interest
Abstract In South Korea, in-complex retail provides everyday amenities for residents while also supporting neighborhood functions. Prior studies have struggled to examine the architectural characteristics of in-complex retail, largely because of limited data availability. This study develops a new dataset that captures the geometry and attribute information of in-complex retail by integrating Building Register records, Road Name Address maps, and POI data. Empirical results show that administrative codes identify in-complex retail in only 35.6 percent of apartment complexes, while the data-integration approach increases the identification rate to 62.8 percent. A minimum threshold of 150 dwelling units appears necessary for in-complex retail provision, above which possession rates rise sharply. Using GIS-based clustering, in-complex retail is classified into eight distinct physical types: Standalone Commercial, Amenity Complex, Street-Front Strip, Residential Pilotis, Extended Residential, Mixed-use Podium, Linear Deck, and Nodal Deck. Standalone Commercial is the most prevalent type and accounts for 57.2 percent. A temporal shift is also observed, from physically independent blocks that dominated before the 2000s to more street-responsive forms in the 2010s. Type differentiation is shaped by complex scale, topography, and urban density. Amenity Complexes are typical of mega-scale developments, Deck types tend to emerge on sloped terrain, and Podiums concentrate in high-density urban districts.