Seoul from above : 40 years of archives soon available

Next year, Seoul Metropolitan Government will open its satellite databases (1971-2010) : all citizens will have access to forty years of archives and see how each area evolved over time.

The scale is 1/5,000, the best resolution available these days on paper : I often use an excellent Saehan Map / Blue Map of 2004 Seoul featuring maps on left pages and satellite views on right pages. Expecting every year in vain an updated version...

This online database is exactly what I've been dreaming of for years, but only had once the opportunity to experience "IRL", during last year's excellent exhibition "A Retrospective : Kim Ki-chan and the World of Alleys" : in a display, you could observe a whole charming Seoul village being progressively obliterated and replaced by soulless apartment blocks.

As a teaser, authorities proposed this not so spectacular sample of Ttukseom (top) and COEX (bottom) areas :


I can't wait to browse through those tens of thousands of satellite pictures.

Meanwhile, I'll keep roaming Seoul villages at ground level.

Seoul Village 2011

---UPDATES 2011-2012---
The website (in Korean only): aerogis.seoul.go.kr