Lessons Learnt from the Case of Nodeul Island

SPACE

Bin Kim professor, University of Seoul

Maing Pilsoo co-principal, mmkplus

Seo Hyun professor, Seoul National University

Lee Kangoh member of the board of directors, Seoul Green Trust

Lee Donghun attorney, Deoham

Lee Seongchang director-general, Public Development Planning Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seo Hyun graduated from Seoul National University and Columbia University. He is the author of books such as Understanding Architecture, Asking the Meaning of Architecture, Creation and Evolution of Korean Traditional Architecture and has designed houses such as Kunwonjae, Shisunjae and Haeshimhun. He is a professor at Seoul National University.

Lee Kangoh graduated from the Department of Forest Resources at Seoul National University. He is a co-author of books such as City planners, Seoul Green Trust, Forest Management, among others. He worked as a non-profit activist for the Forest of Life and Seoul Green Trust Foundation, and as a director of the Seoul Children’s Grand Park, and now lives in Goesan, Chungcheongbuk-do, where he works as a consultant for local forest management.

Lee Donghun majored in economics at Korea University, and graduated in law from the same school, subsequently working as an attorney at the Public and Private Infrastructure Investment Management Center of KDI. He completed his Ph.D course in Principles of Jurisprudence at Korea University School of Law, and is currently conducting legal affairs in various social economic and public policy areas such as Nodeul Island Project, and Town Management Social Cooperatives at Social Economy Law Center of Deoham.

Lee Seongchang graduated from Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School and worked as a researcher at the University of Tokyo. After working as a research fellow at the Seoul Institute, he is now the director-general of Public Development Planning at Seoul Metropolitan Government.

The Birth of Nodeul Dream Island

SPACE We invited those who were directly and indirectly involved at each stage of the Nodeul Island project. First of all, I would like to hear more about the background to the project and why you tried to implement changes to the competition system itself in the selection of planners and operators before the opening of the design competition.

In August 2012, Park Won Soon, the Mayor of Seoul, asked me to consider new ways of instrumentalising Nodeul Island, and as an advisor I met with Lee Kangoh in early 2013. Then, Lee suggested we should avoid the creation of a large structure and to change tack this time. I tried to figure out his meaning through questions such as ‘How can I deal with this stucture without employing an edifice?’, ‘How can I persuade local people?’ A number of important issues were also raised by the Nodeul Island Forum. I suggested that an appointed party should decide upon the programme first, and then they, whoever they are, should take charge of its operation. It was true that at the opening of the forum I was asking myself, ‘Is that possible?’ After several advisory conference and meetings with culture planners, however, I became convinced. All the space planners pointed out the many situations that had required the modification of a space if it was to be created in advance, regardless of demand. The start was to initiate the attempt right