Rural + Urban = Rubang
달보러 방방
Rural town regeneration Project
2014
2nd Prize
at Korean Rural Architecture Competition
Group work Idea, Drawing, Modeling
Advisors Professor Se-gue Oh
Architect Jae-hyung Seo
The purpose of the project is software and systems proposal rather than an architectural hardware proposal to improve the lagging rural environment. The introduction of an industrial society came late compared to developed countries, however, it strongly impacted our country in compressed growth. There was rapid growth in the city, creating an unimaginable gap between the populations, culture clearly solidifying the city’s boundaries. In the aging rural areas, empty homes are increasing due to continuous decrease in population and the sound of children crying has long stopped even making stories that 60 year old residents are the youngest in the area. If this situation persists, this type of limited village may collapse. Depending on the region vitalization is occurring by young farmers, however this kind of situation is not a universal and looking at the resident’s characteris tics of rural villages it will be hard to voluntarily develop the village without help from external vitalization.
In this respect, What methods can be contributedto rural area by architects?
The problems may not be solved by building a one simple and beautiful architecture. It must be needed more sysmetic solutions and programs based on rural area's pros and cons.
In Seongjeon-myeon, Gwangjin-gu South Jeolla Province, there are many tourist attractions around the Wolchul Mountain, and Muwisa, vitalizing new factors of experience in each village through regional businesses. However, we can see that this is not a plan to vitalize the entire area looking at Seongjeon-myeon’s population decrease and aging population. Then what does it have to contain?
It should have accommodation and basic facilities using the dormitories and empty houses that have been abandoned in the rural centers.
These facilities should be combined with Seonjeon-myeon’s local assets and promote convenience to travelers by providing facilities that tell the stories of the village. The economic activities of these facilities shall vitalize and improve the local economy and living environment.
The student population, responsible for the region’s economy, left after the Sunghwa technical university closed, creating a situation to leave many commercial and residential facilities empty. This project will take advantage of the abandoned dormitories and empty houses in the rural centers to create accommodation facilities and infrastructures that are currently lacking. These facilities should be combined with Seonjeon-myeon’s local assets and promote convenience to travelers by providing facilities that tell the stories of the village. The economic activities of these facilities shall vitalize and improve the people’s economy and living environment.
1. Vitalizing commercial business through increased consumption by the population influx created by Sunghwa University
2. There are growing number of empty houses due to decrease in commercial facilities and decrease in demand for residency caused
by closing of Sunghwa University.
3. Transfuse local resources into empty houses through steps one, two and three.
4. Site development through new programs.