"Global cluster building" in Seorin-dong

Seoul Metropolitan Government provided more details about their ambitious "Global Cluster Building" :

- WHAT ? The "one-stop services for Seoul expats" concept becomes brick and mortar. Imagine a 14 story (+ 5 basements) building, and under the same roof : the Seoul Global Center and its vast array of services, the Seoul Immigration Service, a few foreign Chambers of Commerce, a medical center, a cultural area... you name it*.

- WHEN ? work will start early 2011 for an inauguration planned in June 2012.

- WHERE ? Seorin-dong, Jongno-gu, next to Yeongpoong Building, and just meters away from Jonggak Station (Subway Line 1, exit #6). From this new location (right now, a 1,070 square-meter parking lot on Jongro), the Seoul Global Center will be less than 100 m away from the Korea National Tourism Association as the crow flies - humans will simply cross Cheonggyecheon at the small bridge of Gwanggyo. Note that nowadays, the trip from Taepyeongno (SGC headquarters) isn't that long either (hardly 300 m). On Cheonggyecheon and at the crossroads between Tapgol Park, Insadong, Gyeongbokgung, City hall and Deoksugung, the SGC is bound to welcome even more visitors.

While they were at it, SMG also delivered updates about their other brick and mortar projects for foreigners : following the DMC Ville (175 households in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu), Seoul will operate a second residence for foreigners in Seocho-gu (178 households, inauguration November or December 2010).

Seoul keeps upgrading its hardware and software for foreign visitors and residents at an impressive pace.

Seoul Village 2010

* come to think of it, you probably will be invited to actually give it a name (just like for the new Coex global business center) : 'Global Cluster Building' is only a tentative name.

Jongmyo - Changdeokgung reunited

Jongmyo visitors can join the Changdeok palace (or vice versa) through a small bridge over a busy 4-lane road separating both UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Jongno-gu.

That miserable road, a long stretch between two beautiful places, offers little to see except the canopy, long grey walls, and intense traffic.

Two more lanes will be added, probably for public transportation (buses are often jammed there), but all traffic shall go underground : at last, both monuments will be reunited in a strong vertical and cultural green line.

Beyond Jongro and prolonging this new perspective between Bukhansan and Namsan, and forming a cross with the recently restored Cheonggyecheon, public gardens will replace the Sewoon shopping center (세운상가), a long and narrow rectangular monstruosity built in 1968.

A few blocks westwards, another urban nightmare, the Nagwon shopping center (낙원상가), will disappear and liberate Samil-ro and the way between the Unhyeongung and Tapgol Park (Pagoda Park).

At the macro level, the Insadong - Gwonnong-dong - Jongno-3-ga triangle is definitely changing for the better. But at the micro level, local authorities are unfortunately not doing anything to prevent whole packs of hanoks from being destroyed, or non descript three story buildings from being erected.

That's the difference between good initiatives and a great vision.