Urban Entertainment Center (UEC) as a Redevelopment Strategy for Large-Scale Post-Industrial Sites in Seoul: Between Public Policy and Privatization of Planning

Abstract

The decline of inner-city manufacturing industries is a global phenomenon, leaving behind vacant land and brownfield sites in cities. These post-industrial areas with their negative images of dereliction and obsolete urban environments have prompted many cities to implement various redevelopment strategies, among which is the concept of the Urban Entertainment Center (UEC), which combines shopping, recreation, and entertainment, with various public spaces. This study attempts to understand the changes that have been triggered by the revitalization strategy of UEC development in large-scale post-industrial sites in Seoul. Here, Special Planning District (SPD) regulation has been adopted to induce creative and long-term urban developments; however, this has been limited to private high-rise residential buildings. This paper examines two UEC development cases applied along with the SPD in semi-industrial areas for their achievements that differ from former implementations. Our analysis reveals several positive aspects: it provides a sustainable urban infrastructure for the region, overcomes the limitations of the SPD regulation practice, and establishes improved urban environment and design quality oriented toward public interest. The “privatization of planning” has become an issue in redevelopment projects. However, the two UEC precedents that are discussed imply that building cooperative public–private partnerships through a reciprocal process will secure more public benefit overall.

A Study on the Changing Architectural Properties of Mixed-Use Commercial Complexes in Seoul, Korea

“…Linkage with local streets and expansion of street-type circulation plan: an increase in the number of living-street circulation plans that reflect the characteristics of the region is expected [26], such as the expansion of organic circulations that can naturally participate in shopping, dining, and events by actively linking with existing streets in a circular and three-dimensional manner [27].…”

Space Adaptability Strategies and Building Performance in Selected Entertainment Centres in Nigeria

“…These factors are some of the defining characteristics influencing the market for entertainment centres, which in recent decades has been related to the demand for entertainment centres. An entertainment centre is one or more buildings that form a complex of merchandiser-represented stores, with interconnecting walkways that allow visitors to walk easily from unit to unit, along with a parking area-a modern, indoor version of the traditional marketplace with entertainment facilities to meet people's needs (Lee & Hwang, 2018). The need to provide an entertainment centre would be created either by the need to upgrade, change or replace an existing facility that has truly served a need, or by providing a completely new facility designed to facilitate the re-establishment of a sense of community.…”

“…Movie theatres flourished from the 1900s to the 1910s (Savelli, 2018). Therefore, beginning in 1960 and 1970, the movement went to shopping centres for years where customers were offered numerous businesses under a roof, this form is called dog bone (Lee & Hwang, 2018). In every shopping centre, there was always little location, no matter how small, reserved for entertainment, such as a central mall court with periodic shows or decorations to celebrate different seasons (Savelli, 2018).…”

A Review of Studies on Sustainable Urban Regeneration

“…Dixon (2007) investigates the aspects of sustainable urban brownfield regeneration through two cases in Thames Gateway and Greater Manchester. Lee and Hwang (2018) establish improved urban environment through examining two cases in Seoul. An integrative methodology is devised based on a set of criteria to help to improve the planning of brownfield redevelopment (Cheng et al, 2011).…”