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Start of Urban Emptying at Sasang Station
The city of Busan will begin the 'Urban Emptying Project' to improve the pedestrian environment and innovate the urban landscape around Sasang Station. This project aims not only to repair facilities but also to innovate urban design with a focus on human-centered restructuring of public spaces, garnering much attention.
The city plans to actively pursue this project as a key strategy for realizing the “2028 World Design Capital Busan.”
A major target area for this project is approximately 658 meters around Sasang Station, a key transportation hub in western Busan. This area is adjacent to Sasang Station, the Sasang Intercity Bus Terminal, and the Sasang Intersection, where pedestrian traffic and transfer demands are very high.
However, various public facilities are haphazardly arranged, causing inconvenience to pedestrians and negatively impacting the urban landscape. In fact, 248 public facilities installed by 25 organizations, including the police agency and the Busan Transportation Corporation, are densely clustered in this area, exacerbating the problem.
Major Maintenance of Public Facilities
The main goal of the Urban Emptying Project recently promoted by Busan City is to tidy up unnecessary facilities and enhance the efficiency of space. The city plans to carry out maintenance work on approximately 210 out of the 248 public facilities, accounting for about 84.7%.
The details of the maintenance work are as follows. First, 56 unnecessary facilities will be removed; second, 7 similar or redundant facilities will be consolidated; and finally, maintenance will be performed on 147 outdated facilities. During this process, facilities that have obstructed pedestrian flow, such as flower beds, bicycle racks, bollards, and signs, will be significantly organized.
In particular, improvements in the congested area around exit 5 of Sasang Station and in front of the Sasang Intercity Bus Terminal are expected to be substantial. Plans are in place to expand the crosswalk, which was 7 meters wide, to 14 meters to greatly reduce congestion during rush hours.
Additionally, the round ventilation outlet near the crosswalk at Sasang Intersection, which has obstructed pedestrian movement, will also be relocated. This maintenance will not only involve removal but will also be carried out in a way that maintains functionality while efficiently utilizing space.
Reconfiguration of Pedestrian-Centered Spaces
This project is attracting attention not merely for improving aesthetics.
Busan City has announced the introduction of a Busan-type urban design strategy that enhances the values of space through 'emptiness'. This aims to secure pedestrian pathways by removing unnecessary facilities and restructuring public spaces that citizens can inhabit.
A representative example is the area around exit 6 of Sasang Station. This area previously functioned merely as a passageway, but in the future, it will be restructured into a "meeting place" where citizens can interact and linger.
Moreover, the accumulation of waste near exit 3 of Sasang Station will also be addressed. By improving this area, which has negatively affected the city’s image, the goal is to enhance pedestrian comfort.
Busan City plans to further enhance the quality of the urban landscape by concentrating and streamlining facilities and applying integrated design. Such changes will contribute to providing citizens with a better environment.
2028 World Design Capital Busan
This project holds significance beyond just the maintenance work at Sasang Station. Busan City regards this project as a representative urban innovation case in preparation for the "2028 World Design Capital Busan."
The World Design Capital is an international urban brand project selected by the World Design Organization (WDO), involving an important process through which urban design competitiveness is globally recognized. These efforts are expected to contribute to Busan's future development.
Busan City plans to use the Sasang Station project as a starting point to expand the urban emptying project throughout Busan.
Due to the presence of many outdated facilities in areas impacted by urbanization and industrialization, there are complex pedestrian environments. In this regard, this project has great potential to develop into a maintenance model for key living areas such as Seomyeon, Busan Station, Hadan, and Yeonsan. Consequently, it is expected that the urban environment in Busan will be significantly improved.
Expected Effects of Changes at Sasang Station
After the completion of the project, the area around Sasang Station is expected to transform into a more convenient urban environment for walking and lingering, moving away from congested transfer spaces.
In particular, it is anticipated that the western part of Busan will see an increase in pedestrian traffic through the expansion of transport networks linked to the Sasang-Hadan Line, West Busan development projects, and the Eco Delta City. This Urban Emptying Project carries significant meaning as it responds proactively to the future changes in transport and urban areas.
This project is expected to serve as an example that outlines the future direction of Busan's urban design policy, as it aims not merely to reduce facilities but to enhance the quality of urban spaces.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What are the main goals of the Urban Emptying Project at Sasang Station?
The Urban Emptying Project at Sasang Station aims to improve pedestrian environments by maintaining unnecessary facilities and restructuring urban space to be citizen-centered.
This project will maintain approximately 210 out of 248 public facilities concentrated in the area around Sasang Station, accounting for about 84.7%. Through the removal of unnecessary facilities, consolidation of duplicate facilities, and maintenance of outdated facilities, pedestrian flow will be improved, and crosswalks in congested areas will also be expanded. The core objective goes beyond simple facilities improvement to enhancing space value through 'emptiness' and restructuring public spaces where citizens can linger.
Q. What expected benefits will the Urban Emptying Project bring to Busan?
The Urban Emptying Project will significantly improve the pedestrian environment around Sasang Station, enhancing urban landscape and spatial utilization.
The congested transfer area at Sasang Station will transform into a convenient and safe walking space, and the expansion of crosswalks and relocation of round ventilation outlets will facilitate smoother pedestrian pathways. Furthermore, by tidying up waste accumulation spaces and unnecessary facilities, the urban image will improve, and public spaces for citizen communication and relaxation will be created. The project also raises the possibility of expanding the Urban Emptying Project throughout Busan, allowing for overall qualitative improvements in the urban environment.
Q. How is the Urban Emptying Project related to the '2028 World Design Capital Busan'?
The Urban Emptying Project is a representative urban design innovation strategy for realizing the 2028 World Design Capital Busan.
The World Design Capital is an international urban brand selected by the World Design Organization (WDO), and Busan City utilizes this project as a case for strengthening urban design competitiveness and urban innovation. The removal of unnecessary facilities and restructuring of pedestrian-centered spaces will improve the quality of Busan's urban design, contributing to the enhancement of its international urban brand value. Such strategies present a direction for overall design innovation in Busan leading up to 2028.
Q. How will public facilities around Sasang Station be maintained?
Out of 248 facilities, 210 will be maintained with removal, consolidation, and restoration of outdated facilities.
Specifically, 56 unnecessary facilities will be removed, 7 redundant facilities will be consolidated, and maintenance will be performed on 147 outdated facilities. The main targets for tidying will be flower beds, bicycle racks, bollards, signs, etc., and the process will ensure functional integrity while improving spatial efficiency. In particular, improvements will be made to the congested areas in front of exit 5 of Sasang Station and the Sasang Intercity Bus Terminal, as well as crosswalks near the Sasang Intersection to enhance pedestrian convenience.
Q. How will the urban space in Busan change after the Urban Emptying Project?
The formerly congested transfer space will transform into a public space that is comfortable for walking and lingering.
Around exit 6 of Sasang Station, for example, passageways will be restructured into spaces for citizens to communicate and relax. Furthermore, unnecessary facilities will be removed to secure pedestrian pathways and improve the quality of public spaces. As pedestrian comfort increases, the urban image will improve, and Busan's urban design will become more cohesive, providing a better environment for the citizens.