Turning granite into space

퇴계로, 만리재로 보행환경 개선

Year of Completion: 2017

Project Location:Seoul, Korea

Client: Seoul Metropolitan Government

Upon starting the design of pedestrian paths in Seoul’s old district which was about to be face-lift with an elevated arboretum nearby, Seoullo, we first studied what makes a ‘good’ walking environment. Clearly, a “storytelling” approach commonly required by government officials has little effect on the people who actually walk that path. Reminding myself of the own experience of traveling from place to place, the essential condition of pleasant walking is good drainage and well maintained surface condition. Walking on the dry streets of Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, I suddenly remembered that the soles of my shoes were always damp when I went to Jukbyeon Fish Market and NoryangJin Fish Market as a child.

So again, what is the basis of good urban drainage? At that time, all walkways in Seoul were recommended to be constructed with porous pavers. However, based on the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s own research that the pores were completely blocked by pollutants six months after installation, well compacted foundation and leveling of surface are more important than the initial permeability of the blocks themselves. Meanwhile, what is as important as a well-drained surface would be how your feet would feel while walking. Because the only part of your body that actually engages with the ground when walking is the feet, the choice of smooth, stable, but non-slip material is crucial. However, the readymade small and shallow modules are bound to fluctuate over time, as Seoul’s pedestrian paths frequently get dug up for the underground utility repair and usually afterwards patchworks are not quite done with consistency.  

Based on these studies, several alternatives were designed, from readymade porous pavers to poured concrete. After numerous meetings and briefings,  we were able to advance with precast concrete blocks that would tremendously increase the durability and stability of a public path while providing the opportunity of efficient pattern design. Starting with the design of the block module itself, the most basic premise was the need for large, thick blocks to give a stable feeling when walking on. In addition, it was considered necessary to design a module that can be triangulated to facilitate installation on pedestrian paths with many minor gradient changes in the old city center of Seoul. This is because if triangulation is possible, easy construction can be done on site to meet gradient changes while maintaining the overall pattern flow.

The module of the block is in two forms, both of which are with 2.5:1 (block length: 500mm, width: 200mm) slenderness ratio and 120mm thick, increasing stability and durability. In addition, the smooth, non-slip surface provides an easy drainage and a comfortable sense of walking. What we wanted was to create paths where citizens and travelers who walk on them every day feel “unknowingly comfortable, and the wheels of their suitcases are surprisingly running well,” even without any splashing patterns and grandiose stories. In addition, through the abnormal 120mm thickness of concrete blocks, it was intended to convey the feel of the ground as if walking on the surface of granite.