[Seoul's News_Urban Regeneration] Sewoon Shopping Center Leads the 4th Industrial Revolution
Sewoon Shopping Center Leads the 4th Industrial Revolution
The 440,000m2 area around Sewoon Shopping Center that houses approximately 1,600 businesses will go through a transformation under the “Dasi (Again) Sewoon Project.” Through cooperation beyond the existing convergence between industries and new technologies, the area will be developed into a strategic hub to lead the fourth industrial revolution that centers on the manufacturing industry.
The area around Sewoon Shopping Center (seven buildings lined up extending for a total of 1km (Jongno – Toegyero)) is occupied with Korea’s first mixed-use buildings which were constructed in the 1960s. Having led the development of electronic and electrical industries in the 1970s – 1980s, this area has been in the doldrums ever since.
The main core of this project is for the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) to develop a “platform for the fourth industrial revolution” so that young startups can apply the techniques of master craftsmen to fourth industrial technologies like IoT to experiment, develop, manufacture and commercialize products.
In 2017, hub spaces to lead such activities will open in three steps. In March, construction will be completed for a space to accommodate four strategic institutes to incubate, educate and support manufacturing activities of startups. In May, construction will be completed for a space for creative development of young startups. Later, in August, construction will be completed for cultural facilities for citizens and a public pedestrian bridge.
Gradual development will be promoted for the 171 zones of “Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District” located on both sides of Sewoon Shopping Center including “Sewoon Zone 4,” of which construction has been delayed for over a decade due to a dispute over building height regulations. In Sewoon Zone 4, commercial facilities including hotels, offices and studio apartments will be built on land with a gross area of 280,000m2 surrounding a large square, while creating harmony with preexisting buildings such as Jongmyo.
As such, the Sewoon Shopping Center district will evolve into a “Maker City” where manufacturing, production and marketing as well as residential, commercial and cultural spaces are integrated, centering on the creative manufacturing industry.
The Dasi Sewoon Project will be carried out in three steps. Step 1 (March) is to develop spaces for strategic institutes (infrastructure/support), step 2 (May) is to develop spaces for young startups and makers (creativity/development) and step 3 (Aug.) is to develop cultural spaces for citizens (pedestrian/cultural).
First, on March 2 (Thu.), two spaces opened to accommodate the four strategic institutions (University of Seoul, Seoul Metropolitan City Social Economy Support Center, Seed:s and Fab Lab Seoul) invited by the SMG to support the incubation and growth of young startups and makers.
A space to incubate young business startups will open on the third floor of Asia Electronics Mall (approx. 630m2), which has been vacant for a long period of time. In addition, a workshop for manufacturing and carrying out creative activities will be developed in the boiler room (approx. 165m2) on the basement of Sewoon Shopping Center, a space that embodies the rich history of Sewoon Shopping Center. University of Seoul City Campus, which focuses on the education of technologies and business incubation, will operate lecture rooms in the two locations and the Seoul Metropolitan City Social Economy Support Center will open as well to provide full support to social economic organizations in the fields of technology and manufacturing.
Second, in May, 29 business incubation spaces named “Sewoon Makers’ Cube” will open alongside the pedestrian deck (Sewoon – Daerim Shopping Mall), which is currently under construction. Startups will use these spaces to carry out creative development activities including the development of drones and smart medical devices.
Third, in August, cultural facilities to connect these spaces and the outside will be completed to receive citizens. A rest area with an observatory (Sewoon Rooftop) will be built on the rooftop of Sewoon Shopping Center to offer an uninterrupted view of Namsan Mountain and Jongmyo. In addition, the public pedestrian bridge (Sewoon – Cheonggye Shopping Mall), which was demolished due to the Cheonggyecheon Stream restoration project, will be reconstructed as the Sewoon Pedestrian Bridge. The Sewoon Greenway Park will be transformed into a square and, on the basement level, the first exhibition hall in Hanyangdoseong, or the area inside Seoul City Wall, will open to exhibit historical artifacts and a government office site from the mid-Joseon Dynasty excavated during construction work.
In line with the vitalization of the creative manufacturing industry, which originated in the Sewoon Shopping Center district, the 171 zones of “Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District” will carry out projects by each unit and act as one of the pillars of “Maker City,” which integrates industrial, residential and cultural facilities.
In 2014, the SMG finalized a redevelopment promotion plan to keep Sewoon Shopping Center District and separately develop the surrounding areas instead in small and medium scales (171 zones) in order to keep the historic value of the city and improve project feasibility and has been promoting this plan ever since. The SMG plans to complete the reviewing and licensing procedures by the end of 2017 and commence and complete construction by 2021 and 2023, respectively.
The area around Sewoon Shopping Center (seven buildings lined up extending for a total of 1km (Jongno – Toegyero)) is occupied with Korea’s first mixed-use buildings which were constructed in the 1960s. Having led the development of electronic and electrical industries in the 1970s – 1980s, this area has been in the doldrums ever since.
The main core of this project is for the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) to develop a “platform for the fourth industrial revolution” so that young startups can apply the techniques of master craftsmen to fourth industrial technologies like IoT to experiment, develop, manufacture and commercialize products.
In 2017, hub spaces to lead such activities will open in three steps. In March, construction will be completed for a space to accommodate four strategic institutes to incubate, educate and support manufacturing activities of startups. In May, construction will be completed for a space for creative development of young startups. Later, in August, construction will be completed for cultural facilities for citizens and a public pedestrian bridge.
Gradual development will be promoted for the 171 zones of “Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District” located on both sides of Sewoon Shopping Center including “Sewoon Zone 4,” of which construction has been delayed for over a decade due to a dispute over building height regulations. In Sewoon Zone 4, commercial facilities including hotels, offices and studio apartments will be built on land with a gross area of 280,000m2 surrounding a large square, while creating harmony with preexisting buildings such as Jongmyo.
As such, the Sewoon Shopping Center district will evolve into a “Maker City” where manufacturing, production and marketing as well as residential, commercial and cultural spaces are integrated, centering on the creative manufacturing industry.
The Dasi Sewoon Project will be carried out in three steps. Step 1 (March) is to develop spaces for strategic institutes (infrastructure/support), step 2 (May) is to develop spaces for young startups and makers (creativity/development) and step 3 (Aug.) is to develop cultural spaces for citizens (pedestrian/cultural).
First, on March 2 (Thu.), two spaces opened to accommodate the four strategic institutions (University of Seoul, Seoul Metropolitan City Social Economy Support Center, Seed:s and Fab Lab Seoul) invited by the SMG to support the incubation and growth of young startups and makers.
A space to incubate young business startups will open on the third floor of Asia Electronics Mall (approx. 630m2), which has been vacant for a long period of time. In addition, a workshop for manufacturing and carrying out creative activities will be developed in the boiler room (approx. 165m2) on the basement of Sewoon Shopping Center, a space that embodies the rich history of Sewoon Shopping Center. University of Seoul City Campus, which focuses on the education of technologies and business incubation, will operate lecture rooms in the two locations and the Seoul Metropolitan City Social Economy Support Center will open as well to provide full support to social economic organizations in the fields of technology and manufacturing.
Second, in May, 29 business incubation spaces named “Sewoon Makers’ Cube” will open alongside the pedestrian deck (Sewoon – Daerim Shopping Mall), which is currently under construction. Startups will use these spaces to carry out creative development activities including the development of drones and smart medical devices.
Third, in August, cultural facilities to connect these spaces and the outside will be completed to receive citizens. A rest area with an observatory (Sewoon Rooftop) will be built on the rooftop of Sewoon Shopping Center to offer an uninterrupted view of Namsan Mountain and Jongmyo. In addition, the public pedestrian bridge (Sewoon – Cheonggye Shopping Mall), which was demolished due to the Cheonggyecheon Stream restoration project, will be reconstructed as the Sewoon Pedestrian Bridge. The Sewoon Greenway Park will be transformed into a square and, on the basement level, the first exhibition hall in Hanyangdoseong, or the area inside Seoul City Wall, will open to exhibit historical artifacts and a government office site from the mid-Joseon Dynasty excavated during construction work.
In line with the vitalization of the creative manufacturing industry, which originated in the Sewoon Shopping Center district, the 171 zones of “Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District” will carry out projects by each unit and act as one of the pillars of “Maker City,” which integrates industrial, residential and cultural facilities.
In 2014, the SMG finalized a redevelopment promotion plan to keep Sewoon Shopping Center District and separately develop the surrounding areas instead in small and medium scales (171 zones) in order to keep the historic value of the city and improve project feasibility and has been promoting this plan ever since. The SMG plans to complete the reviewing and licensing procedures by the end of 2017 and commence and complete construction by 2021 and 2023, respectively.