A "Town within a City"... Growing Attention on the Mixed-Use Development Project 'Champions City'

Developing a “Town Within a City”
Equipped with Diverse Functions Needed for Daily Life –
Residential, Shopping, Cultural, and Business Spaces All in One

The outline of the integrated urban redevelopment project named "All New Champions City" (hereinafter referred to as Champions City) is now taking shape in the downtown area of Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City (formerly Gwangju Metropolitan City), aiming to transcend simple residential development by creating a “town within a city” that organically combines residential, commercial, business, and cultural functions.

Champions City marks Gwangju's first developer-led mixed-use project, covering approximately 298,000 square meters (about 90,000 pyeong). The development will include a total of 4,315 residential units, and will be organically linked to The Hyundai Gwangju, a luxury hotel, business facilities, and a cultural park. The entire city is being designed so that every phase, from initial planning to brand attraction and operational strategy, is integrated into a unified business approach.

The masterplan for Champions City is being undertaken by international urban design firm URBAN AGENCY. At its heart, the project will apply the concept of the "Urban Core," which connects essential functions—residential, commercial, business, and cultural facilities—through pedestrian flow. Through this design, the area will provide residents with walkable access to work, living, and leisure functions within the local community.

Certain historic buildings and infrastructure, including the former Jeonbang and Ilsin Textile Factories, will be preserved and regenerated as part of the project, transforming into a cultural park complete with galleries, performance venues, museums, and various cultural and educational spaces. Existing building materials will also be recycled for use in the park, roads, and other urban spaces to maintain the region’s historic character and sense of place.

In addition, the development will establish a "Green & Blue Network," creating a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environment that is seamlessly connected to green spaces throughout the city.

Champions City will officially kick off development in September, with the first residential complex, "Champions City Phase 1," being released for sale.

"Champions City Phase 1" is being constructed by Woomee Construction and Shinyoung C&D. The complex will comprise 12 buildings ranging from three underground floors to 49 stories above ground, with dedicated apartment sizes from 84 to 214 square meters and a total of 3,216 units. About 79%—or 2,534 units—will be in the highly popular 84-square-meter layout to meet strong end-user demand.

The first phase is planned as a family-oriented complex, introducing Gwangju’s largest integrated community facilities to offer a diverse range of leisure, cultural, and educational spaces tailored to each family member.

The main community features will include an indoor swimming pool, a golf practice facility with screen golf and a 20-meter approach area, a fitness center, a multipurpose indoor gymnasium, and other sports facilities. Educational facilities such as a small library and general and single person reading rooms will be created, and a residents-only sky community and sky guesthouse will be located on the 44th floor.

The spatial layout of the complex will incorporate neuroarchitecture principles, with the participation of Professor Jae Seung Jeong of KAIST and Mindbrick Design Lab. This design approach emphasizes the psychological stability of residents and the strengthening of family bonds by reflecting the influence of space and environment on human emotions and behavior.

In parallel, Champions City is accelerating development of its major on-site facilities. Most notably, The Hyundai Gwangju—a mixed-use shopping mall planned at about 1.4 times the size of The Hyundai Seoul—will feature Gwangju's first indoor botanical garden and diverse global brand stores, with a scheduled opening in the first half of 2029.

The introduction of premium infrastructure and large-scale retail spaces, previously concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, is expected to significantly enhance the quality of life for local residents by establishing such amenities in the region’s urban center.

An official from the real estate industry commented, “Currently, with the launch of Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City and the pursuit of a KRW 800 trillion mega project, expectations are rising for the expansion of the local industrial base and the enhancement of urban competitiveness. Amid these changes, Champions City is expected to emerge as a new base for residential living in downtown Gwangju.”

The Champions City Phase 1 model home will be located on the development site, with a scheduled opening in September.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.