Yaksan-do Workshop Result Report

Shin-Koo Woo + BK21Four, Living SOC Innovation Design Group, Pusan National University

The Department of Architecture at Pusan National University, through its BK21Four 'Education and Research Group for Under-used Space', organized a workshop focused on Under-used Space Survey Workshop in Yaksan-myeon, Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do, from August 21 to 24, as part of the Song of the Wind project. During this workshop, participants, including Mingyeong Kim, Juhee Nam, Wen Yajun, Yeoju Yi, Changhwi Je, Konduri Sai Bhanu Sreenidhi, and Hashem Noha Negmeldin Mohamed, delved into their respective research areas to identify effective types and characteristics of under-used spaces. Their objective was to propose practical solutions to community issues by suggesting innovative ways to utilize these spaces.

Leading the workshop was Shin-Koo Woo, an architect with a Ph.D. in Architecture from Seoul National University, who currently serves as a professor at the Department of Architecture at Pusan National University, and leads the Lab of Urban Space & Architecture (LUSA). He has been interested in regional research focusing on the urbanism and architecture of Busan Metropolitan City. His lab, LUSA has constantly been researching the transformation and continuity of commercial areas such as Seomyeon and Gwangbok-ro, and residential areas such as hillside areas and enforced migrant areas. The results of the research were published as papers or books and presented through exhibitions at Alternative Space Island (2000), Busan Museum of Art (2001), Geumjeong-gu Office (2002), Ilmaek Cultural Foundation (2018), and Museum of Contemporary Art Busan (2020-21).

Based on academic research and exhibitions, he has participated in various projects related to urban regeneration, community development, and public space improvement. He has also practiced coordination and consulting from residents’ participatory planning to governance-based implementation and community-led maintenance and monitoring after the project. Representative projects include Gwangbok-ro Street Revitalization Project (2005-2008), Making Happy Urban Fishing Village Cheongsapo (2010-2017), and Ami-Chojang Urban Regeneration Project in Seo-gu (2014-2020).