Beside megastructures in Seoul: the ecology of the surroundings

Megastructure and artificial land projects dominated the progressive concept of architecture and urbanism around the world. From the late 1950s to the early 1970s young architects developed radical visions of utopian cities and architectural apparatuses. These ideas have influenced the transformation of Seoul into a modern city, resulting in a complex urban programme where megaprojects are juxtaposed with existing informal areas capable of preserving the traditional milieu. The clash between these two urban settings can be found in many parts of Seoul. This paper will focus on the Euljiro area, in the very heart of the city where the Sewoon Sangga building and its surrounding area are located. The complex consists of eight blocks and forms a unique manufacturing environment. These blocks contain an organic settlement of small buildings organised on the original pattern of the ancient city in sharp contrast with the megastructure building. This paper focuses on the tension between these two opposed urban artefacts, retracing the main original idea behind the megastructure and the artificial ground concept and the unexpected symbiosis between the Sewoon complex and the organic area surrounding it.