Korea plans to build high-tech '10-minute city' in the heart of Seoul

Architects will build a miniature city using modern technology and clean energy, allowing people to go anywhere within 10 minutes.

The idea of ​​a "15-minute city" , in which residents can go to work and entertainment facilities within a 15-minute walk or car ride from home, has attracted much attention from urban planners. market during Covid-19. Now, a group of architects are planning to build a more ambitious project in the South Korean capital Seoul: the city of 10 minutes.

The project includes 8 apartment buildings and many commercial and entertainment areas. (Photo: WAX & Virgin Lemon)

Named "Project H1" , the development will transform the old industrial park into a interconnected smart city. Combining eight apartment buildings with offices and learning spaces, the 50.5-hectare project also includes an amusement park, sports center, swimming pool and urban hydroponic farm.

Designed by Dutch architecture firm UNStudio with investment from Hyundai Development Company, this will be a car-free miniature city. All the city's amenities are within a 10-minute walk from residents' homes.

Ben van Berkel, co-founder of UNStudio, shared that the residents' daily life experiences are a priority for the project. "We accomplish this by providing a diverse on-site choice for residents to live, work and play, thereby saving them time in commuting elsewhere in the city," says Berkel. know.

A UNStudio spokesman confirmed the project had received a building permit. A series of perspectives reveal the shape of the neighborhood with gardens, tree-covered rooftops, and many natural areas connected to the footpath. The architects say clean energy will be produced on site, and the rainwater collection and storage system is designed to reduce water use.

The idea of ​​​​building a "15-minute city" was first proposed by French-Colombian scholar Carlos Moreno in 2016 and became popular recently thanks to Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo during her re-election campaign. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more people around the world are working from home and public transport is limited, urban planners are starting to focus on designing pedestrian streets and changing the way they work. densely populated city.