지속가능한 도시환경을 위한 도시디자인 | Jea-Sun Lee | TEDxGoyang

History of Urban Design in Korea

• The speaker discusses the history of urban design in Korea, highlighting how traditional Korean villages, formed by communities engaged in agriculture, served as the foundation for modern cities.
• The speaker notes that Korea's urban planning practices actually date back to the Three Kingdoms period, where cities were designed based on a Chinese model known as "Jule."
• The speaker mentions that the first planned city in Korea was Hanyang, also known as Seoul, established by King Taejo of Joseon and Jeong Do-jeon.
• The speaker describes the typical layout of cities during the Three Kingdoms period, featuring a mountain for defense in the rear, a river in the front, and a grid-like city plan in the center.
• The speaker highlights that cities in Korea, designed by ancestors, were planned cities.

Urbanization and its Impact

• The speaker uses the contrast between darkness and light to illustrate the evolution of cities.
• The speaker suggests that in the 1970s, there was a greater presence of nature (darkness) compared to cities (light).
• The speaker implies that the balance between nature and urban areas has shifted over time.
• The speaker predicts that future generations will live in a Korea dominated by bright cities rather than dark natural landscapes.
• This phenomenon is referred to as urbanization by experts.
• The speaker references the popular South Korean television program "I Am a Natural Person," which features individuals who have left urban life for a more natural existence.
• The individuals featured in the program often cite exhaustion, stress, and an inability to cope with urban life as reasons for their departure.
• While nature has provided healing for these individuals, they are reluctant to return to urban life, suggesting that their former urban environments were detrimental to their well-being.

The Need for Sustainable Urban Design

• The speaker believes that the lack of sustainability in urban environments is evident in the way people interact with their surroundings.
• The speaker suggests that the environment, whether it is natural or urban, influences people's thoughts and behaviors.
• The speaker uses an example of a school with a small patch of grass to illustrate how people are drawn to natural elements, even when there are designated pathways.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between humans and nature when designing urban spaces.
• The speaker believes that urban design plays a crucial role in creating sustainable cities for future generations.
• It is crucial to minimize the impact on nature.
• The focus should be on restoring the community life of city dwellers.

Pedestrian-Centric Urban Design

• To achieve these core values, efforts are being made to create pedestrian-friendly cities.
• Modern cities have prioritized car use and built extensive road networks.
• However, traffic congestion remains an unresolved urban issue.
• Reliance on cars has led to physical inactivity, resulting in an increase in modern diseases like obesity and diabetes.
• These diseases pose a new urban challenge due to the rising healthcare costs associated with them.
• To address urban issues, cities should prioritize pedestrian and bicycle accessibility.
• This approach reduces car usage and promotes physical activity, leading to improved health.
• The speaker observed the vibrant atmosphere of Amsterdam, Netherlands, where extensive bicycle infrastructure encourages cycling as a primary mode of transportation.
• The speaker suggests that this infrastructure contributes to the health and vitality of Dutch citizens.
• The speaker acknowledges that this is not the sole solution but emphasizes the importance of creating pedestrian-centric urban environments.
• The speaker mentions the development of 3rd generation new towns in South Korea as an example of potential implementation.
• The speaker discusses the shift from car-centric urban design to pedestrian-centric design in new cities.
• The speaker notes that older cities, such as first-generation new towns, were designed with large blocks, typically 200-300 meters in size, prioritizing car traffic.
• Newer cities are adopting smaller blocks, ranging from 80 to 100 meters, to encourage pedestrian movement.
• These smaller blocks allow for the creation of pedestrian-friendly spaces, including green areas and community facilities.
• The speaker highlights a specific example where a city with dimensions of 3.2 kilometers in width and 7 kilometers in length was designed with a pedestrian-centric approach.
• This approach prioritizes walking and creates a more accessible and walkable urban environment.
• The speaker describes a city design plan that includes an outer ring for fast-moving vehicles traveling between Gwangmyeong, Siheung, and Seoul.
• The plan also includes an inner ring designated for bicycles, pedestrians, and public transportation.
• The inner ring is designed to allow people to walk the entire 7km distance or break it up into smaller segments.

Carbon Reduction in Urban Design

• The speaker highlights the importance of reducing carbon emissions in urban design, particularly due to the high energy consumption for heating and cooling in modern cities.
• The text discusses the need to reduce carbon emissions and create sustainable urban environments.
• It suggests incorporating buildings that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, as well as facilities that absorb carbon emissions into urban spaces.
• The text highlights Apple Park, the headquarters of Apple, and Google's Bay View Campus in Mountain View as examples of carbon-reducing, environmentally friendly buildings that minimize edge effects and utilize recycled water.
• The text also mentions Marina Bay Sands in Singapore as a representative example of sustainable urban design.
• The text suggests that traditional urban planning, which divides land into residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and green spaces, may not be the most effective approach for reducing carbon emissions.
• The speaker designed a city with a focus on energy efficiency, considering the potential energy savings of buildings.
• The speaker recognized the need for carbon reduction and the lack of available carbon capture technology.
• The speaker emphasized the importance of green spaces, parks, and water systems to naturally absorb carbon.
• The speaker designed the Uijeongbu Legal Complex with an abundance of these spaces.

Public Spaces and Community Building

• The speaker highlighted the importance of creating abundant public spaces in cities for citizens to use.
• Public spaces are crucial for city dwellers as they provide opportunities for interaction, community building, and social connection.
• The increasing construction of new buildings in future cities may make it challenging to create public spaces within pedestrian areas.
• Countries like the Netherlands, Japan, and Singapore, which have high land density, are exploring the possibility of creating public spaces on higher floors of buildings.
• The "Valley" project in the Netherlands is an example of this approach, featuring three buildings with a pedestrian walkway connecting them.
• The speaker describes a project where natural environments are integrated into a built environment, including the creation of nesting spaces for birds.
• The speaker mentions a project in Bucheon Daejang New Town, where they created two specialized public spaces.
• The first space is a 50-meter wide and 700-meter long pedestrian-focused area, designed to be free from vehicle interference, allowing people to gather and engage in activities.
• The second space is a canal lake, created using the abundant agricultural canals in Bucheon Daejang.
• The speaker personally traveled to Florida for four weeks to study how water is integrated into urban environments.
• The speaker believes that public spaces can foster a sense of community among residents.
• The speaker uses the example of the city of Bucheon Daejang, which is currently under construction, to illustrate this point.

Intergenerational Urban Design

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of creating a city that is shared by all generations.
• The speaker notes that advancements in medicine have led to longer lifespans, while retirement ages have decreased, making it challenging for people to find purpose in their second lives.
• The speaker also highlights the challenges faced by young people in today's society, including the financial burden of raising children and the pressure to succeed in their careers.
• The speaker suggests that these social issues can be addressed through urban design.
• The speaker believes that urban design can help solve the problem of intergenerational gaps.
• The speaker proposes creating a city where different generations share their time and resources.
• The speaker mentions a project called "Happy City 5-2 Life" which aims to create a space where seniors can engage in physical activity by cultivating crops in a smart farm.
• The project also includes a multi-functional community space where seniors can help care for children.
• The speaker states that this project is the first of its kind in South Korea.
• The text describes a planned residential community in Gwangmyeong City, South Korea, that will feature a shared living space for three generations.
• The community will include a medical facility and a daycare center, allowing elderly residents to care for their grandchildren while their children commute to work.
• The community will also have a playground, a daycare center, and a fitness center, encouraging interaction between different generations.
• The design of the community is inspired by a similar project in Singapore, which also features a shared living space for three generations.
• The community is designed to foster intergenerational connections and create a sense of community among residents.
• The speaker proposes a design concept for a public space that combines a playground and a park for seniors, allowing for intergenerational interaction.
• The speaker believes that this shared space will foster communication and understanding between different age groups, contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable future.

The Future of Urban Design

• The speaker emphasizes that sustainability does not mean repeating the past without change, but rather adapting to the present and future.
• The speaker highlights the importance of minimizing the negative impact of human activities on the environment, ensuring a healthy future for generations to come.
• The speaker envisions a future city where nature and humanity coexist harmoniously.
• The speaker believes that cities should be planned and designed in a way that fosters respect and a sense of community.
• The speaker acknowledges that urban design is a specialized field responsible for shaping cities.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of collective effort from urban designers, citizens, and the public to ensure that future generations can live healthy, happy, and sustainable lives in cities.