In this blog post, we look at past and present urban planning changes and explore what the sustainable cities of the future will look like.
The evolution of urban engineering through the Balhae Sangyeongseong Fortress and Sejong City
You may not be familiar with the name Sangyeongseong, but you’re probably familiar with the country of Balhae, which was founded by Daejo Young. Sangyeongseong was the third capital of Balhae and enjoyed a period of cultural prosperity for about 160 years. Sanggyeongseong is laid out in a grid of basic main streets centered around the inner city, with Jujakdae Street in the center. Starting from the southern gate of Hwangseong Fortress, Jujak-daero is a huge road that is a whopping 2.2 kilometers long from north to south and 110 meters wide.
There are several reasons why Balhae built such a large road in Shangjing City. The first reason was to facilitate the movement of supplies in preparation for the Ansha Rebellion in the mid-Tang Dynasty, and the second was to symbolize the strength of the royal power by centering the boulevard around the palace.
A city designed to fulfill a specific purpose is called a “planned city”. Planned cities are different from traditional cities, which developed naturally based on the accumulation of surplus production. Whereas traditional cities gradually grew in size based on economic affordability, planned cities are intentionally designed for the welfare of residents and public well-being by efficiently arranging urban functions such as transportation, housing, sanitation, security, and administration. Planned cities as we know them today include Changwon and Ilsan, and more recently, Sejong Special Self-Governing City has gained attention as a prime example of such a city.
Sejong City is an administrative-centered complex city that aims to address the adverse effects of population concentration in the metropolitan area and strengthen the country’s balanced development and competitiveness. But why did Sejong City choose a grid-like road structure like Jujak-daero in Sangyeong-si, Balhae? In fact, grid-like roads such as Jujak-daero have many intersections, which can cause traffic congestion, and the expansion of roads can cause environmental damage. In addition, gridded roads are not efficient because they lack a sense of unity among residents and are not well connected to the land. Considering the goals of Sejong City, a grid road is not a suitable form.
Planned cities and urban engineering
Planned cities are more than just transportation and housing arrangements; they are designed to solve society-wide problems and lead to sustainable development in the future. This is where urban engineering comes into play. Urban engineering is a discipline that helps cities organize and operate efficiently in a variety of areas, including transportation, housing, environment, security, and administration. The discipline has provided practical answers to many of the social and environmental problems that have arisen as a result of population growth and rapid urbanization.
More than just designing buildings and roads, urban engineering is key to creating sustainable cities and environments. Whether it’s reducing air pollution by streamlining transportation systems or improving the quality of life for citizens by providing adequate green spaces, urban engineering has the potential to significantly improve the quality of human life.
Sejong City’s Dual Illusion Urban Structure
Sejong City has adopted a double annular urban structure instead of grid-like roads like Jujak-daero. In the past, annular cities were designed to reduce the number of intersections and prevent environmental damage by placing circular roads on the outskirts of the city. It also increased the sense of unity among residents, compensating for the alienation that occurs on grid-like roads. Sejong City went a step further with its annular city and introduced a double-annular urban structure. This structure divides the city into two rings, with the inner ring consisting of greenery and parkland to provide a resting place for citizens, and the outer ring containing residential, administrative, and commercial areas centered around the public transportation axis to efficiently distribute city functions.
This dual-illusory urban structure enables efficient land use while protecting the environment, and contributes to enhancing the unity of the urban community by activating communication between residents. Sejong City has become a model for balanced distribution of urban functions while effectively managing urban sprawl.
The future of smart cities and urban engineering
Urban engineering is not just about solving current problems, but also about envisioning the shape of future cities. Today’s cities are evolving beyond the traditional concept of planned cities to become smart cities. Smart cities use information and communication technology (ICT) to optimize transportation, energy, and environmental management to increase the efficiency of city operations. Sejong City has also adopted this concept, utilizing advanced technologies such as automation of the transportation system, energy efficiency, and real-time environmental monitoring.
Smart cities aim to provide a better citizen experience by maximizing the connectivity of infrastructure within the city. For example, they are optimizing public transportation systems and considering the introduction of autonomous vehicles to establish their role as cities of the future. These technologies are not just about making life easier, they are also important factors in environmental sustainability and city competitiveness.
As you can see, urban engineering plays an important role in our lives, even if we don’t realize it. As a multidisciplinary field that combines social sciences, engineering, art, and philosophy, urban engineering is a key contributor to the planning and development of cities. In particular, it is becoming increasingly important as we prepare for the future and present new forms of life through innovative urban structures like Sejong City.
