New Towns : hanoks in Eunpyeong, a desert in Wangsimni

Hanoks are definitely in : a fortnight ago, I mentioned a project of traditional house complex in Seongbuk-dong (see "Hanok New Town in Seongbuk-dong"), and on Friday, Eunpyeong-gu announced on Friday a new hanok village on the other side of Bukhansan.

By 2014, 220 residences shall be erected over a 71890 square meter stretch at the feet of the mountain, but within Eunpyeong New Town limits : in the Northeasternmost part of block number 3-2... where, I think, a park was initially planned...

So once again, it smells like budongsan spirit to me : a cultural, eco-friendly project masking a real estate, eco-unfriendly operation. This hanok village is not only excellent for the Mayor's image, but a potential jackpot for developers : residences will probably be tagged at a premium cost, turning the village into the jewel of an until then rather weak crown.

OK, OK... hanoks are always welcomed, and this area needed a longlasting landmark (have you seen the new Eunpyeong-gu city hall ?). And the project also includes a nice paved road, plus an undescribed "Eunpyeong Museum" (은평박물관), which I'm pretty sure will display the artifacts exposed two years ago at the Seoul Museum of History (see "Eunpyeong New Town, Old Tombs").

I hope some of the traditional houses will be open to the public, and not all reserved for wealthier residents. If harmoniously designed, this village could become a peaceful destination for visitors from Eunpyeong and beyond, and an ideal stop for hikers on the way to Bukhansan from Gupabal Station.

A new town that could use a few hanoks is Wangsimni. I passed by the barren site yesterday, on the way to Dongmyo flea market, and under a bright sun, the sandy dunes looked very much like a desert. In guise of a ghost town, a few barracks spared by the destruction : shop owners who refused to give up a strategic location at a corner or on a major axis, and a church that will probably quadruple its size after flocks of newtowners move in. Except for these wise speculators, the whole area will be rebuilt from scratch, and need to tell a story of its own without a trace from the past.

At least, one hundred years from now, Eunpyeong New Town residents will have a place that was given from the start the potential to grow a soul of its own.

Seoul Village 2011