| Title |
A Study on the Urban Organizational Structure and Conceptual Typologies of Seoul’s Moa Town |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.6.205 |
| Keywords |
Urban Organizational Structure; Mid-rise Housing; Neighborhood-scale Reorganization; Organizational Principles; Plot Consolidation; Conceptual Typologies; Comparative Analysis |
| Abstract |
This study examines the urban organizational structure and conceptual typologies of Seoul’s Moa Town, focusing on how low-rise residential
districts may transition toward a mid-rise, block-based urban organization. While prior research has emphasized architectural typologies or
physical deterioration in low-rise neighborhoods, comparatively limited attention has been given to the structural urban conditions that enable
neighborhood-scale reorganization. Rather than approaching Moa Town as a housing policy or development instrument, the study
conceptualizes it as a transitionary urban organizational model defined by the integration of plot consolidation, alley-network reconfiguration,
and cluster-based mid-rise formation. Four pilot areas?Jegi-dong, Jangwi-dong, Siheung-dong, and Sillim-dong?are examined as a minimal set
of contrasting cases capturing variations in alley connectivity, parcel fragmentation, and block cohesion within Seoul’s low-rise residential
fabric. In parallel, a comparative reference framework is constructed based on European mid-rise urban organizations?Parisian perimeter
blocks, Barcelona’s block interiors, and Vienna’s Hof-based collective housing. These cases function not as transferable models but as
analytical benchmarks for identifying structural conditions under which mid-rise block organizations operate as stable urban units. Through this
asymmetric comparison, the study interprets Moa Town as a context-specific pathway of partial organizational transition, in which minimum
alley connectivity, block-level cohesion through plot consolidation, and ground-level public integration jointly condition the plausibility of
structural transformation. The findings position Moa Town as an organization-driven alternative to large-scale redevelopment and provide a
structural framework for understanding Seoul’s emerging mid-rise housing strategies beyond architectural form. |