[Report] "Enjoy the Refreshing Mountain Breeze"—Open Apartment Gates Invite Outsiders to Walk In... Different from Mere Decorative Landscaping [Future of Parks ⑩]

Daemosan Wind Path Open to All
A 3.3km Promenade with Over One Million Shrubs
A Shift Toward Urban-Nature Coexistence
Pedestrian Paths Opened for Free, Unrestricted Access

Green spaces in apartment complexes within the city are no longer confined within their boundaries. Landscape design is undergoing a paradigm shift, moving away from simply decorating private spaces toward breaking down barriers between urban areas and residential complexes, in search of coexistence with the broader city environment.

After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, construction companies introduced specialized landscaping as a type of planning product to overcome the real estate market downturn. This led to an excess of elaborate landscaping, filled with lush trees and decorative elements, which ultimately caused apartment complexes to lose their unique character and deepened their disconnection from the surrounding urban spaces.

Recently, however, apartment landscaping has increasingly focused on preserving natural topography and harmonizing with the city-wide green planning. Gaepo Xi Residence in Gangnam-gu, Seoul is one of the leading examples of this trend.

The central part of the Gaepo Xi Residence complex is left open to ensure that the natural axis and wind path of Daemosan Mountain, located just behind the complex, are not blocked. The airflow originating from Daemosan Mountain passes through the middle of the apartment buildings and naturally extends to the neighborhood park. This wind path functions as an urban chimney, expelling indoor pollutants and heat out of the city. Photo by Simsang Ah

From Daemosan Wind Path All the Way to the Neighborhood Park

When visiting this location on the 26th, it was noticeable that, aside from the soundproof wall along the road, there were no large fences or barriers separating the interior and exterior of the complex. Unlike previous large apartment complexes, which thoroughly restricted access by outsiders, Gaepo Xi Residence features multiple pedestrian paths throughout the complex, in addition to the main entrance, allowing hikers and local residents to move freely through the space.

The core values guiding this landscape design are "Chakyung" and "coexistence." "Chakyung" is a traditional technique that means borrowing scenery from nature. To prevent the natural axis and wind path from Daemosan Mountain, located just behind the complex, from being blocked, the central portion of the complex has been intentionally kept open. The airflow originating from Daemosan Mountain passes through the center of the apartments, flowing naturally to the neighborhood park, which is part of the dedicated public space within the complex.

Cheolhyun Kang, the senior manager at GS Engineering & Construction responsible for the landscaping design and construction, explained, "We designed the complex so that the wind path descending from Daemosan Mountain helps prevent urban heat dome effects. The wind path functions like a city chimney, expelling indoor pollutants and heat out of the urban area."

The internal pedestrian paths are about twice as wide as those in typical apartment complexes. This path, named "Avenue," was designed to incorporate green spaces and serve a greater role than a simple walkway. Walking a full circuit along this route forms a promenade that stretches an impressive 3.3 kilometers.

On the 26th, the internal pedestrian path at Gaepo Xi Residence appeared to be about twice as wide as those in typical apartments. It was named "Avenue," emphasizing that it is more than a simple walkway, incorporating green spaces. Walking around the complex along this path completes a promenade that stretches an impressive 3.3 kilometers. Photo by Sim Sang-a

Kang emphasized, "From the early design stage, we planned the interior of the complex as a public space that many citizens can use." In particular, tall trees were strategically placed along the walking routes to simultaneously enhance convenience for passersby and ensure residents' privacy.

Multi-Layered Terrain Reflecting Daemosan's Landscape and One Million Trees

The terrain design stands out for its ability to bridge the elevation difference between the southern slopes of Daemosan Mountain and the northern, more urban direction. Special construction materials were used to create artificial slopes and layers. Kang explained, "Owing to the artificial ground structure, which cannot support heavy soil, we adopted the EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) method to create green spaces atop it while recreating the natural undulating topography that continues from Daemosan Mountain."

Cheolhyun Kang, a senior manager at GS Engineering & Construction responsible for the landscaping design and construction of Gaepo Xi Residence, is explaining the complex's landscaping on the 26th. Photo by Seong-ah Shim

The meticulously calculated arrangement of trees is also striking. The complex contains over 1 million shrubs and about 7,000 tall trees. Various species have been carefully placed to reflect seasonality, and throughout the area, summer-blooming hydrangeas could be found.

Construction companies are expected to further refine their strategies for managing apartment green spaces as a competitive advantage. Professor Seokhwan Hong from the Department of Landscape Architecture at Pusan National University stated, "Recently, the 'gardenification' of apartment landscaping has become the norm, with discussions on superior maintenance and low-impact development against heavy rains. There is growing demand for harmonious designs that connect green spaces three-dimensionally with the surrounding environment, such as the Hangang River or Namsan, moving beyond independent landscaping confined within individual complexes."

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