Seoul Eases Building Rules in 7 'Human Town 2.0' Areas, Lowering Barriers to Low-Rise Neighborhood Renewal

Following the early October announcement of 3 designated areas,
proposal to designate 7 more areas passes deliberation
Total area: 254,000 square meters

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has created conditions in seven additional low-rise residential areas to renovate aging homes while preserving the character of old alleyways and neighborhoods.

Status of Human Town 2.0 Project Sites. Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on October 14 that a proposal to designate seven areas totaling 253,874 square meters as special architectural zones for the "Human Town 2.0" project had passed deliberation at the 18th Building Committee meeting.

"Human Town 2.0" is a project that relaxes building regulations in low-rise residential areas where large-scale redevelopment is difficult, allowing homeowners to build or renovate homes on individual lots while preserving existing alleyways and neighborhood layouts.

The "five major architectural incentives" covering floor area ratio, building coverage ratio, height, open space within lots, and landscaping will be applied to the seven areas in line with local conditions. All areas can receive a floor area ratio of up to 1.2 times the rate set by ordinance, while building coverage ratio and height incentives will vary by area based on its topography, zoning, and existing plans. In addition, the required setback from building lines and adjacent property boundaries will be reduced from 2 meters to 1 meter for row houses and from 1 meter to 0.5 meters for multi-family homes.

In the area around 127-37 Mangwoo-dong, Jungnang-gu, the building coverage ratio for the first floor will be relaxed from 60% to up to 70% when the space is used for a community facility or small shop in a Type 2 General Residential Area, helping to revitalize local alley businesses.

Insu Peak Forest Trail Village in Suyu-dong, Gangbuk-gu, is located on the foothills of Bukhansan Mountain and has faced building restrictions under natural scenic district regulations. In the area, the building coverage ratio will be relaxed from 40% to up to 60%, and the height limit from 16 meters to up to 20 meters. These relaxations will not apply to altitude restriction districts.

Jangsu Village in Samseon-dong 1-ga, Seongbuk-gu, is adjacent to the Hanyangdoseong (Seoul City Wall). Building heights restricted under the district unit plan will be relaxed to up to 1.2 times the standard, within the scope of national heritage height-angle restrictions.

In Hwagok 1-dong and 2-dong in Gangseo-gu, the largest of the seven areas, and Sindang-dong in Jung-gu, the building coverage ratio for basement areas exposed above ground will count as up to 80%, rather than 60%, if they are used for parking or non-residential purposes, allowing the sloping terrain to be put to use.

Gaebong-dong in Guro-gu includes a Type 3 General Residential Area, where the floor area ratio can be increased from 250% to up to 300%.

Myeong Nojun, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Housing Office, said, "The reason Seoul draws attention in global city evaluations is that its historical heritage and alleyway scenery from the past are in harmony with its competitiveness for the future." He added, "Human Town 2.0 is a housing innovation model that preserves the value of old village roads and topography while enabling residents to live comfortably. It will improve the quality of life for residents in low-rise residential areas and help shape Seoul's distinctive urban landscape."

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