Envisioning Seoul’s Next 100 Years
What will Seoul look like 100 years from now? The 4th Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism in 2023 explored this question under the theme ‘Land Architecture, Land Urbanism.’ This edition of the Biennale, in particular, examined the interconnected relationships between our environment, architecture, and urban spaces, offering insights into an ideal master plan for Seoul’s future. The appointed general director and architect Cho Byoung-soo especially highlighted that Seoul, known as Hanyang in the past, was once an eco-friendly city that harmonized with the natural flows of land, water, and wind. He emphasized the importance of restoring this identity through a shared value system.
The 4th Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism presented an ideal vision that bridges Seoul’s past, present, and future with the theme of ‘Land Architecture, Land Urbanism.’ The exhibition featured several key sections. The “Thematic Exhibition” studied the philosophies of land architecture and its architects; the “Seoul 100-year Masterplan Exhibition” presented future visions for Seoul through an open competition; the “Guest Cities Exhibition” showcased examples of urban planning from around the world while addressing the concept of ‘high-density, multi-layered cities’; the “On-site Projects” was accessible for public participation at the newly opened Songhyeon Green Plaza; and “Global Studios” presented bridge architecture ideas from students at 30 universities worldwide. Additional interactive programs made the Biennale further accessible to the public, thus creating a platform where experts, government agencies, and members of the community could all come together to envision Seoul’s future.
This book serves as both an exhibition catalog and an archive, thoroughly exploring the organic relationships between land, architecture, and urbanism. The 170 projects featured in this catalog provide essential reference points for shaping Seoul’s future and offer valuable observations about the essence of land architecture.
