GICO, to invest 2.1 trillion won in business projects includ

GICO, to invest 2.1 trillion won in business projects 
including the Godeok Industrial Complex 
 
 
 
 
– Focus on stimulating local economy and strengthening housing welfare services 
– Create future growth engines through reinforced marketing and diversification of business 
 
□ On January 20, Gyeonggi Urban Innovation Corporation (GICO: President Lee Jae-young) made an announcement regarding its endeavors in a project related to the Godeok Industrial Complex, which is expected to become the largest business establishment of Samsung Electronics, and the development of a “Gyeonggi-do Housing Welfare Model” by supplying various rental dwellings and providing housing welfare services.  
 
 o GICO plans to improve its financial soundness by reinforcing its marketing function through the establishment of a customer management office and to create future growth engines in 2013 through a discovery of various new businesses.  
 
 
 
▶ GICO, set to invest 2.1 trillion won in 36 zones in 2013 and 1.8 trillion won in construction 
 
□ Gyeonggi Urban Innovation Corporation (GICO) has confirmed its plans to invest 2,117,200,000,000 won in projects implemented in 36 zones in 2013, and to award contracts related to construction, goods and services valued at 1.8 trillion won in total. This massive execution of budget is expected to stimulate the local economy and create new jobs. 
 
 o The scale of investment in the major projects are as follows: 70.9 billion won in compensation and commencing construction of Godeok Industrial Complex; 822.2 billion won in compensation and construction of Jigeum Bogeumjari Housing Zone; 156.5 billion won in the development of Dongtan 2 New Town site and compensation for residual lands; 499.7 billion won in the 3rd phase construction of Gwanggyo and compensation for residual lands; and 189.1 billion won in commencing the construction of logistics and other industrial complexes. 
 
 o GICO also plans to award contracts construction, goods and services valued at 1.8 trillion won in total. It expects to contribute to job creation through the implementation of these plans, and will continue its efforts to support small and medium businesses. 
 
▶ Creation of future grown engines through reinforced marketing and diversification of business
 
 o Gyeonggi Urban Innovation Corporation (GICO) newly established a Customer Management Office this year to reinforce its marketing by integrating the sales function, which had previously been diffused across each of the departments. The objective was to create an efficient and systematic system of various marketing processes from establishment of strategies to follow-up management to improve the financial soundness of the corporation. 
 
 o GICO also plans to designate ´energy and environmental facilities,´ ´advancement of housing projects´ and ´specialized asset management´ as its strategic businesses for future growth and discover a wide range of new businesses in each of these fields. The aim of discovering new future growth engines and diversifying its businesses is to maximize GICO´s capacity to handle crises in this era of rapid and dramatic changes. 
 
 
 
▶ Supplying various rental dwellings and construction of an integrated welfare facility for residents of rental housing 
 
□ Gyeonggi Urban Innovation Corporation (GICO) plans to continue its effort in strengthening the housing welfare services by actively responding to the housing policy demand of the new government administration and Gyeonggi Province, executing its existing 200-unit housing purchase and rental project in addition to the 150-unit reconstruction housing purchase and rental project and 500-unit housing lease and rental project, and developing a sustainable ´Gyeonggi Housing Welfare Model.´
 
 o GICO will also build the ´Chamareum Hope Village Center,´ an integrated welfare facility housing a health clinic, social corporate academy and book cafe inside the Anseong Gongdo Public Rental Housing Complex. The center will be a 3-story building with a total floor area of  676㎡. It will provide welfare services related to medical care, employment and leisure activities, and be involved in social contribution activities. 
 
 
 
▶ Implementation of the 4 Key Projects such as commencing the construction of Godeok Industrial Complex in April 
 
□ According to the 2013 Investment Plan, 73% of the total budget is concentrated on the 4 key projects: Godeok Industrial Complex, Namyangju Bogeumjari Housing, Dongtan 2 New Town and Gwanggyo New Town. 
 
 o Of particular note, the total project cost for the Godeok Industrial Complex, which will be about 2.4 times the size of the current business establishment of Samsung Electronics in Suwon, is 2.2 trillion won and the construction will commence this April. Connecting the Paju LCD Industrial Complex, Godeok Industrial Complex expected to the most advanced industrial park ever to be built by GICO. The complex will contain the world´s largest semi-conductor production line. In addition, GICO will undertake development projects involving 17 industrial complexes such as the Yellow Sea Poseung Zone Project and the Wongok Logistics Complex, and contribute to the balanced regional development. 
 
 o Of the 4 key projects, the Namyangju Bogeumjari Housing project, to which most of the budget was allocated (822.2 billion won), will be executed in phases starting this May. A specialization strategy for the Administration Town and the Commercial Special Planning Zone will be established by June. Through this project, GICO will supply a total of 21,558 apartment units, 3,450 of which was pre-applied for by prospective residents in 2010. 
 
 o Furthermore, the second phase of the Gwanggyo New Town Project was completed in December last year, and the third phase of construction is scheduled to be finished by the end of this year. Meanwhile, various strategies reflecting customer needs will be established for the Dongtan 2 New Town, for which the site construction officially began last year.
 
□ GICO President Lee Jae-young stated, “Our corporation celebrated our 15th anniversary of foundation last year, and we will endeavor to further strengthen our internal stability and discover new businesses to secure future growth engines,” and added, “As a public company, we will be committed to providing the best integrated urban services by strengthening our marketing and housing welfare functions and completing the 4 key projects with success.” 

Amazing Transformation of Futuristic Apartment

Amazing Transformation of Futuristic Apartment!
´Transformer Apartment´ is coming
 
There is a saying that woman´s transformation is innocent. However, not only woman´s but also anybody´s transformation should be innocent. I think that change, transformation are the words that made a great contribution in realizing humankind´s imaginations. The word that naturally comes to my mind in so doing is ´Transformer´. which is mostly known as a title for the blockbuster movie from Hollywood now. In fact, the transformer was initially a name for the toy robot. It was one of the transforming toys I used to play with in my childhood. Its domain was expanded into an animation and then a movie as well.

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Bumblebee appearing in the movie ´Transformer´. which is a robot transformed into a car  ´Camaro´
Source: Naver Movie

Now, it´s not just a robot that is transformed. Our residential spaces are transformed as well. To name it, it´s Transformer Apartment! There is a person who designs and builds a house so that a space may be transformed like this. His name is Gary Chang who is a Architectural designer of Hong Kong. Let´s take a look at how Gary Chang´s house is transformed.

Apartment that doesn´t need to be wide

Gary Chang´s super-mini apartment is used for multi-purposes as it says. You almost don´t feel that you need to have a large space. The wall between bookcases or closets are overlapped like an accordion. New spaces are hidden in a spa space with a bath tub, and between bookshelves with CD´s and books. With installation of a mirror in the ceiling, the space was made to look spacious. As you may find upon looking at the pictures below, the power of ideas has appropriately infiltrated through the space making you to be marveled. There was a story behind his building such house. 

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This shows the designer Gary Chang who is enjoying comfortable reading of books in his house
Source: yossawat.com

In his childhood, he had no room of his own. In a very small apartment not even as large as 10 pyeong, there lived 7 people including his family and a boarder in his 20´s. He had to try to fall asleep in a long and narrow living room while lying down uncomfortably. So the boy Gary Chang made a small foldable bed that he could hide behind a sofa in daytimes and take out to lie on at night times.  In his neighborhood, there were many super-mini stores of about 50 cm in width, as primarily common people lived. Since such stores could not sell the articles only inside the room, they had to spread out in front of their stores. From such scenes, Gary Chang witnessed ´expansion of the space´. Gary Chang could get rather fresh ideas about space utilization because of such narrow spaces. Would he have known himself that the foldable bed designed in his childhood would develop into a transformer apartment later?

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Bathroom and closet. It´s a space hidden inside the wall like an accordion / Source:yossawat.com

 
Now, we will take a full-pledged look at the transformation of the house that Gary Chang currently lives in. By pulling a handle on a TV forward, the wall on which the TV is hung moves. A kitchen hiding behind the wall now appears. It´s equipped even with a refrigerator and a mini bar. What´s amazing is that the space here has an area of not even 33m²(10 pyeong). 

Gary Chang´s house is called by its nickname of ´ Domestic Transformer´. Moving wall, foldable furniture, new spaces showing up by pushing the wall, etc. are just astonishing. Depending on how to move the walls, a total of 24 different spaces are said to appear. the blind installed to block the sunlight may be used as a screen to watch movies on, while the shower booth with mounting of fancy lighting is turned into a DJ box for hosting a house party. It makes you feel that the house itself resembles just a puzzle or a cube. I´d like to name it as ´Gary Land´. 

Gary Chang is said to have made his own house as an experimental place to realize his own architectural ideas. He says to have renovated a house for 4 times during the past 25 years. Although some may wonder why all those troubles when he could just move to a larger house, he made ´transformation´ possible through rediscovery of such spaces. 

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Inside of the apartment. By opening the wall, a new space appears / Source: yossawat.com

As Gary Chang participated in construction of ´ Suitcase House ´ which is a high-class hotel complex in the neighborhood of the Great Wall near Beijing in China, he started gaining the global attention. While the suitcase house looks like a long box from outside, it is a house that may be stood up like a wall by lifting each part of the floor, or where a bedroom, study and kitchen appears in the 0.5-story space beneath it. After this, Gary Chang is engaged in such works, giving people realization on the spaces. Living room can be changed to a bedroom as well as to a kitchen, while a guestroom hidden in the partition may be discovered with the kitchen being transformed to a bathroom, with all of these being made possible only by him.

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 Global attention is being directed to a designer who produced transforming spaces
Source : archdaily.com
 
 

Conversion of Thinking, Transformation of Thinking 
 
Transforming robots such as the Transformer are the contents support for which by the males is conspicuous. That´s probably because it stimulates the childhood of the boys who became adults. Now that the boys who grew up assembling the robots have become the adults who are enthusiastic with car, a great popularity will result if they find that they can change the spaces at their wills. 

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Designs by Gary Chang who realized spatial transformations by conversion of thinking
Source: dgdesignnetwork.com.au

 

While looking at Gary Chan´s apartment, a thought occurred to me that we can experience the wonderful new world through conversion of our thinking. If you have troublesome problems around you, then try to take a look at the problems with application  of diverse viewpoints. You never know whether the problem may be transformed to bring you pleasure and happiness.

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Godeok New International City Invites Samsung Electronics

Godeok New International City Invites Samsung Electronics Company
What voices are sounded by Pyeongtaek citizens?

Godeok-myeon of Pyeongtaek ity in Gyeonggi Province in which Godeok New International City is to beis extremely elated now that moving in of Samsung Electronics has been finalized. Samsung Electronics is planning to develop an industrial complex 2.4 times as large as the Suwon business place.  We tried to listen to the vivid voices on how the common citizens think of it.

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Signing of the parcelling-out contract and the support agreement between Samasung Electronics of Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek Godeok Industrial Complex / Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall
(From left) The president of Gyeonggi Urban Innovation Corporation Lee Jaeyoung, Geonggi Province Governor Kim Munsu, the vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics Gwon Ohyeon, Pyeongtaek Mayor Kim Seonki

 

 

Mr. Kim OO, a licensed real estate agent residing in Pyeongtaek 

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Pyeongtaek has now come to occupy a position important not only economically but alos militarilly through invitation  of Samsung Electronics. Godeok New International City in which Samsung Electronics will find a nest has come to secure a lot for the industrial complex of 4.3 million pyeong in total based on the Special Support Act for Pyeongtaek. Also, 1.2 million pyeong of the 5.28 million pyeong in Godeok district will be used as the industrial complex for Samsung Electronics. Godeok New International City will be developed into an international city with proximity of job and residence where the residence and the industrial complex coexist rather than a residence-oriented bed town. It will grow into an international city to invite 140,000 people at the same time.

Godoek New International City also has a high accessibility to the metropolitan areas. That is because the KTXdeparting from Suseo of Seoul stops at Jije station of Godeok. Not only that, it is close to Pyeongtaek Harbor, which is the only international harbor of Gyeonggi Province. Hence, a role is expected as the trade gate leading to the world. There is also a military advantage. Since most of the US army and air force troops  stationed in Korea as well as the naval headquarters of our navy are placed in Pyeongtaek, the likelihood to develop into a military strategic point has been enhanced. In this way, Pyeongtaek is expected to produce flowers of ´2020 Pyeongtaek Urban Fundamental Plan´ together with the internationalization center city, large-scale housing site development, US military base move, etc. 

Currently, the overall land prices of Pyeongtaek near the region for move-in by Samsung Electronics have risen about 30~40% since the ´parcelling-out contract for Pyeongtaek Godeok industrial complex. Such price rise appears to continue for a while. While the investment time may be best at present, investors are suggested to have a sufficient review for themselves. After the first half of 2013, the highest point in the price aspect is predicted to be reached due to signing a contract with LG Electronics, etc. 

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The GyeonggiProvince Governor Kim Munsu visiting a village hall of Yulbuk 2-ri in Godeok
Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall

 

 

Voice of Mr. Lee OO, a graduate school student majoring in urban sociology

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concentration in cities is not just a problem of today. Among phenomenon of industrialization and leaving villages to head for cities, we have continued to head for the cities. Our country´s policies for new cities may be considered to have been established since 1960´s. As the population increased around Seoul, the new city policies near Seoul have been established from the level of solving housing shortage problems, urban function differentiation and regional development, etc. The time for full-pledged enforcement of the new city policies was from the latter 1980´s through the early 1990´s. The new cities formed at those times correspond to ´the 1st period new cities´. Another new city policy was announced in 2000´s to stop the housing price rise. These are ´the 2nd period new cities´. Pyeongtaek´s Godeok New International City is included in the 2nd period new cities. Insofar as the major purpose of forming the new cities is to supply housings, many residential complexes are built in the new cities. While there are problems related to this, I´d like to talk about the bed town as one of them. 

The bed town refers to a ´residence-oriented´ city. You only reside there as it says, and carry economic lives elsewhere. Since there are no economic activities in these cities, it is quiet. But the cities should have a vitality. Isn´t the city a place where people live. All activities should be possible whether you work or enjoy leisure times.

What´s important in urban development is that industrial facilities, educational facilities(colleges), companies, etc. should be invited so that it may become a self-sustainable, self-sufficient city. In this sense, the moving-in of Samsung Electronics  in Godeok New International City has a great meaning. The invitation of Samsung Electronics by Godeok must have been supported by the related personnel of the local government as well as the regional residents. As the Samsung Electronics come in, this region will gain positive effects such as expansion of the infrastructure, creation of jobs, increase in the economic profits, etc. Wouldn´t Godeok New International City have gone a step closer to the city with vitality? 

What is to be mentioned last is the residents who may get to lose a hometown and a base due to the urban development. Not only material compensation but also alternatives such as space, facilities, programs, etc. for place memories should follow..  

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Briefing session on development planning services for Godeok New International City
Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall

 

 

Voice of Kim Hakjin (himself),
a college student residing at Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province

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There seems never been a time with so many placards hung as these days before while I was living in Pyeongtaek. Not to mention Pyeongtaek station but the phrases of welcoming Samsung Electronics are hung here and there at the entrance of the country village. However, the fact that such excitement is not so surprising is because any Pyeongtaek citizen will be so fully aware how long a time and how much effort has been invested to ´have an honor of inviting´ Samsung Electronics to Pyeongtaek city. The striving hours of the Pyeongtaek city must have been a a desperate struggle to overcome the economic crisis that has visited us since the SSangyong Motors incident. I think that´s why the placards saying ´we have done it´ are hung everywhere in Pyeongtaek for the move-in decision by Samsung Electronics. With the gratitude to Samsung Electronics added to it.

Thirty thousand jobs are said to be generated due to the invitation of Samsung Electronics. For a college student such as myself cannot help but pointing my ears most to such job-related news. It is such a happy news to not only Pyeongtaek citizens but also city residents in the neighborhood. We are familiar with the case where the secluded country village of Asan Tangjeong has grown at the light speed. Thus, we´ve come to cultivate the light of hope for the jobs together with the development of Pyeongtaek. 

I also have a personal wish. As far as the Samsung´s power greatly contributed to the growth of Suwon to a megalopolis, I hope that Pyeongtaek may also develop into a mega city rather than a country city providing a scenery of town and village through the invitation of Samsung Electronics. It is my hope that Samsung may realize the belief that we can grow to be a city broadly providing various infrastructures.

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Birdseye view of Pyeongtaek Godeok New International City
Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall

 

Up to now, you have heard the voices of Pyeongtaek citizens viewing the Pyeongtaek Godeok New International City. I suppose that Godeok´s burden will be as great as the people´s expectations and concerns. Let us expect that Godeok carrying the soil hard already for lot formation will be born again as the new heart of Gyeonggi Province to be a new growth engine of our country in the near future. 

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Amazing World of Paper Construction

Constructions in Paper, not Concrete
Meet the Amazing World of Paper Construction
(Visit the Original Post : http://blog.naver.com/gico12/20172110573)

 

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The Fancy-looking structure is built in paper, to make a cozy and wonderful space to stay in. / Source:http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com

 

 

When you are building a house, there are a number of choices for the materials to be used. In my previous post, I introduced the recent trend and popularity of environment-friendly materials. In this post, I would like to show you some of the most amazing, and least expected, construction materials of all: paper. I am sure you may not have any difficulties in finding some around you as you read this article. And when they are talking about building homes with paper, they do not mean paper model houses on your desks. Paper can be used to build real homes, chairs, or even bridges. Like many of you who are reading this article, I found it very difficult to believe it myself. But, if you take a closer look, it is not such a far shot after all. Wood is one of the most commonly used environment-friendly construction material, and paper is made of wood, by definition. One of the most famous architects for construction in paper is Ban Shigeru of Japan. Since 1985, he has been working independently as an architect. His name might be familiar to some of you, as he gained worldwide attention when he built the temporary constructions for the survivors of Kobe Earthquake in 1995. At that time, Ban Shigeru built refugee homes for the survivors using paper and recycled strawboard tubes. And, it is known that he works with enthusiasm and pleasure for any projects from making chairs to building museums, refugee shelters, and even an airport. Now, let us explore further into the amazing world of paper construction by Ban Shigeru.

 

Constructions of Ban Shigeru

 

 

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Japanese Industrial Pavilion, Shanghai Expo. See the strawboard tubes? / Source:http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com

 

Ban Shigeru is known to choose his projects based on his judgment on their meaningfulness. It has to be something that counts. Reportedly he is not just choosing his new projects just based on the target population of the structure, such as refugees or poor/homeless people. The most important element of design in his works is the functionality. It seems that the reason he accepted to participate in the projects to build temporary schools in the Sichuan, which suffered considerable damages due to a mega-scale earthquake was also the functionality of the temporary building which had to serve as a shelter for the survivors of the nightmare.

Ban Shigeru is also known for his taste of twisting the way the materials are used, and he especially loves to do so with paper. Tubes made of paper can easily be manipulated and altered in terms of diameter, thickness, and length to serve whatever purpose you desire, while it keeps the cost contained and is easy to replace. The paper tubes are completely recyclable after use as a construction material, which makes it even more environment-friendly. Unlike the conventional knowledge, paper has superb quality in terms of water-proof, heat insulation, and sound insulation, making it suitable for many construction needs. Another famous example of using paper for construction is the bridge over River Gardon in France, which was built in strawboard tubes.

 

 

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Paper-tube bridge over River Gardon, France / Source: http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com

 

 

Like this, constructions in paper come in two categories, a permanent construction and a temporary construction. If permanent constructions require the economy and observations of the specifications by the construction owners, the temporary ones require environment-friendliness, as we have seen before. Since the constructions are by definition temporary, materials that leave footprints are not going to cut it to be a good one at that. The recycling of the materials used must be considered, which leads to contemplations on the environment-friendliness of the materials, specific requirements and characteristics by the regions, and finally results in use of completely different materials, like paper.

The most commonly used material when Ban Shigeru builds a wall is paper tubes. During the earlier days, the structures were rather simple, like simple pillars or walls made of pillars. But, the use of such materials widened in variety as the performance of the paper tubes as construction materials improved, enough to make them suitable as structural elements. The connections between the paper tubes were made in wood, which is fundamentally of the same material with the paper. But, nowadays, since the use of paper tubes became wider, plastics, metal, or formed aluminum elements are used for joining the tube elements after testing.

One of the reasons why the construction of Ban Shigeru is held in high esteem is that the students or volunteers may contribute to building construction of public architectural achievements, providing them valuable opportunities to experience the public nature of those structures as well as the ethics behind them and the awareness on the environment issues. If you get your hands on building your own home, it would be more personal.

 

 

 

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A stool made of paper. A fine place to put your objects. / Source: http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com

 

The Opportunities of Recycling Are Here

It is quite amazing to learn that it is possible to build a massive structure with paper. Paper cana be found everywhere, and we always wondered where it would go once we recycle it. And, it is such a relief to learn that they are put into good uses in a new way. It is my hope that more people would come up with bright ideas and technologies to protect the environment. To do that, we would also need to think of better ways to do our recycling.

 

 

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Explore the History of Apartment in the World

Apartment Speculations in Ancient Rome?
Explore the History of Apartment in the World

(Visit the Original Post : http://blog.naver.com/gico12/20171116246)

 

I happened to come across an interesting photo, a black and white image of a farmer plowing his field using an ox-plow in front of a shanty village. The farmer was wearing a pair of cotton work gloves and a jumper, which suggests a view in a farming village decades ago. But, as I looked at the background, there were apartment buildings under constructions, of which the skeletons of reinforced concrete structures were already rising high up into the skyline, closing to its completion. The photo must have been taken somewhere in Korea, during those days when apartments were first introduced into the landscapes of our cities. The title of the photo was ´Plowing in Apgujeong,´ taken in 1978. (Visit Seoul Photo Festival 2012 website to view the photo image) This is the inspiration place of the recent song released by the famous comedian, Jaeseok Ryu and singer Jeok Lee, titled ´Apgujeong Nalari (a Hustler in Apgujeong.)´ Yes. The setting of the photo is Apgujeong as we now know. This single photo gave me the inspiration to prepare this post. When, where, and why people first started to build apartments? Let us explore the exciting world of apartments.

 

Apartment Speculations in Ancient Rome?

The origin of apartments goes all the way back to Ancient Rome. At that time, there were residential buildings within the city boundary, rising 6 to 7 stories above the ground. There were shops for the citizens on the ground floors of those buildings, while the second floor and above were used for residential purposes, just like the way it is with the commercial-residential buildings today. Those buildings were called ´insular,´ the plural form of ´insulae,´ meaning islands. 

 

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A View of Insular / Source: Buffalo Univ. Website, U.S.A.

 

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A Sectioned View of Insular / Source: Site Map for MMDTKW

 

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nsular / Source: JF Bradu

 

We saw our share of apartment speculation in Korea like buying the apartment in low prices and selling them in much higher prices for gains, or exploiting the tenants with murderous rents. Same drills in Ancient Rome, it seems, as one might call it ‘insular speculations.’ The rich built insular buildings at low costs and leased them to the poor with unforgiving rents. Insular were compound residents like apartments of today, meaning a considerable amounts of gains from the rents per each building. Since the buildings were built at costs as low as possible, fires, and other quality issues of the buildings were common during those days. Emperor Nero, as a result, introduced the laws on construction of insular, which you might find very interesting. The laws required the buildings to be separated by a space no less than 30 feet, install verandas to facilitate evacuation in case of fire, and the city blocks were required to have dedicated access roads for fire fighters as well. You may find these provisions familiar, as they are still in effect in modern laws in the 21st century. 

 

Produced for the industrial revolution, workers apartment

While the origin of the apartments is traced back to the days of Roman Empire, the modern apartments as we know them first came into the picture in the 19th century UK. The Industrial Revolution caused a good number of farmers to move to the ´industrialized´ cities, and many people came to the city to work in factories with their families, dreaming of a better life and making good money. A large number of them populated the cities over a very short amount of time and the population density exploded. Urbanizing the poor people became a serious issue, as the incomers were added to the existing factory workers. The ultimate form of poor residences, a single room in the basement, first appeared during those days. The UK government came up with a solution to provide quality living places for those people, which was the origin of the modern apartments.

 

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Apartments for Workers during Industrial Revolution / Source: The Charnel-House

 

The apartments during the Industrial Revolution were characterized by units with 1 to 2 rooms, with shared restrooms and laundry rooms in the hallways, much like Goshiwon´s in Korea these days. These apartments improved in their layouts over time to become modern apartments, with exclusive restrooms and laundry rooms per unit, air ducts and transom windows.

 

 

When Was the Word ´Apartment´ First Used in Korea?

Now it is time to look at the history of apartments in Korea. The first ever apartment built in Korea was Jongam Apartment, built by a private contractor in 1958. That was the very first building which was officially named as an ´apartment´ in the history of Korea. Jongam Apartment was a compound of 51 square-meters residential units located next to Korea Univ. in Jongam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Korea. The President Syngman Rhee attended the Completion Ceremony of the apartment. 
 

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Jongam Apartment / Source: Navercast

The first apartment complex was built in 1964, which was Mapo Apartment constructed by Housing Corporation (currently LH Corporation) in Dowha-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It was this Mapo Apartment that actually opened the door of apartment era in Korea, because, unlike the days of Jongam Apartment when the term ´apartment´ itself was very barely heard of, the concept of apartment was wide-spread among the public. 

 

 

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An Aerial View of Mapo Apartment / Source: Naver Blog

 

 

After Mapo Apartment, a good number of small and large apartment complexes were built during the 2nd Economic Development 5-Year Plan, which lasted from 1967 to 1971, in many areas in Korea, especially in Seoul. Since the late 1980s´ the building of apartment complexes have spread over to other cities like Seongnam, Goyang, and Anyang, and further down to other cities and provinces including small counties and districts. 

Today, apartments are the most commonly found mode of residence in Korea. Once of the greatest hits songs in Korea, ´The Apart´ is still loved and sung by many in Noraebangs (Korean Karaoke.) A part of the song goes like this;

 

Crossing the bridges under the starry night,
and passing through the fields of windy reeds
to your apartment waiting for me at all times

 

I think the words of this song represent the concept of environment-friendliness, which is the theme of the apartment in the future. Smart technologies in the residential environments do matter these days, but it seems people like to have environment-friendly apartments beyond the starry bridges and windy fields of reeds. Maybe, in the future, people will look back and call the year 2012 as the beginning of the environment-friendly apartments.

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Celebration of the Gyeonggi Children’s Museum’s first anniversary

1. Special Exhibit

∙ Title: Inventive artists – Where did Paik Nam-joon take the TV?
∙ Date: September 26, 2012 (Weds.) – March 3, 2013 (Sun.)
∙ Venue: 1F Special Exhibition Gallery
∙ Outline: Introduce children to the works of Paik Nam-joon and other artists who have creatively opened a new art world designed for children. Allow children to explore diverse art tools at the artist’s workshop, experience the artist’s new world of fine arts works, and understand the artist’s creativity.

2. International Seminar

∙ Theme: The role of future-oriented children’s museums
∙ Date: October 8, 2012 (Mon., 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
∙ Venue: Children’s museum auditorium
∙ Outline: Marking the first anniversary of the museum, the seminar invites directors of children’s museums from Europe, Asia, and the US to speak about their respective children’s museum history, contribution to cultural development, and future development. Thus, we aim to promote the global profile of Gyeonggi Children’s Museum.
∙ Overseas speakers: Carole M. P. Neves, Director, Office Policy and Analysis, Smithsonian Institution
Leslie Swartz, Senior Vice President, Research and Program Planning, Boston Children’s Museum
Joerg Ehtreiber, Director, Graz Children’s Museum (Austria), Dr. Nina Lim-Yuson, President and CEO, Museo Pambata (Children’s Museum, Philippines)

3. First Birthday Party and My Children’s Holiday Games

1) My Children’s Holiday Games

∙ Date: September 25, 2012 (Tues.) – October 1, 2012 (Tues.)
∙ Venue: Gyeonggi Children’s Museum Outdoor Plaza
∙ Purpose: In celebration of its first anniversary and the Chuseok holiday week, Gyeonggi Children’s Museum provides diverse special events at the outdoor plaza.
∙ Outline: In conjunction with the museum’s special gallery multicultural education program, Let Me Introduce My Friend,” we celebrate the Chuseok holiday week. We offer diverse traditional games and games of multicultural nations celebrating their national holidays similar to Chuseok (covered in about 13 programs during the 7-day period).

2) First Birthday Party


∙ Date:
September 26, 2012 (Weds.) – Tentative
∙ Venue: In front of the kinetic formation at 1F
∙ Purpose: The museum marks its first anniversary, as it reviews and celebrates the past year’s achievements through various events for multicultural homes and marginalized homes along with My Friend’s Holiday Games.
∙ Outline
Event 1
: 2012 report on achievements, Teunteuni Song Choir (children’s advisory group)
Event 2: Doljabi event (Provincial governor, CEO, Director, Children’s Advisory Group, children from multicultural homes, marginalized children, Kkumnamu young journalists) and cake cutting