Title Morphological and Functional Characteristics of Public Stairways in Aging Hillside Housing Urban Areas
Authors 오성헌(Oh, Seong-Heon) ; 박소현(Park, So-Hyun)
DOI https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.9.3
Page pp.3-13
ISSN 2733-6247
Keywords Hillside residential areas; Informal settlements; Public stairways; Urban morphology; Morphological Units
Abstract This study aims to examine the morphological and functional characteristics of public stairways in aging hillside housing urban areasfrom the perspective of living infrastructure, focusing on the Mangyang-ro areas in Busan. The Mangyang-ro area is a representative hillside residential environment where self-organized residential formation and modern housing improvement processes have overlapped. Due to its steep topography, irregular small-scale plots, and limited spatial structure, the application of conventional urban infrastructure has been restricted Within these conditions, public stairways have functioned beyond simple pedestrian facilities. They have accommodated various everyday activities, including residential access, utility facilities, temporary staying, resting, and social interaction among residents. The analysis shows that public stairways support the sustainability of hillside housing urban areas by externalizing domestic functions that cannot be fully accommodated within housing interiors and by structuring social space through repeated acts of staying and interaction. Therefore, this study identifies public stairways not merely as circulation facilities, but as essential living infrastructure elements that sustain everyday life and social relationships in aging hillside housing urban areas.