UNS (United Network Studio) has revealed detailed renderings of SeoulOne, an ambitious master plan designed for Hyundai Development Company (HDC) in Seoul, South Korea. The project represents a revolutionary approach to multigenerational living, transforming a 405,000-square-meter brownfield site in the northeast of the city into a comprehensive car-free neighborhood. Currently under construction, the development reimagines an existing industrial site and railway area as a model for sustainable urban living.
The SeoulOne master plan is conceived as a "never-sleeping, green master plan" that functions as a mixed-use mini-city where all essential services for residents of all ages are accessible within a 10-minute walk. The comprehensive development includes 24/7 residential towers, extensive retail spaces, modern office buildings, a full-service hotel, state-of-the-art sports facilities, dedicated daycare centers, senior living facilities, and a complete medical center. This integration ensures that permanent services remain within comfortable walking distance for all residents, regardless of their age or mobility needs.
Environmental sustainability plays a central role in the project's design philosophy, with more than 30 percent of the entire site dedicated to various forms of vegetation. The green infrastructure includes strategically placed pocket parks, innovative roof gardens, tranquil water gardens, and an extensive forest walk that creates a year-round green village atmosphere. This commitment to green space ensures that residents maintain constant connection with nature while living in an urban environment.
The conceptual framework for SeoulOne draws heavily from traditional Korean urban planning principles, which historically respond harmoniously to surrounding natural landscapes. Located near Seoul's mountainous northeast region, the site's proximity to natural topography has significantly influenced the project's conceptual and organizational design language. The development maintains continuity of green space throughout the entire complex, while the architectural forms of individual buildings follow the natural topography of nearby mountains and create carefully planned visual corridors toward these scenic vistas.
The master plan's car-free design extends this deep respect for natural environments and has led to the innovative introduction of pedestrian bridges that seamlessly connect to surrounding neighborhoods. According to UNS, SeoulOne strategically integrates comprehensive green and blue networks, advanced clean energy systems, and cutting-edge smart city technologies to significantly reduce the development's overall environmental impact. The construction utilizes locally sourced materials, including those specifically inspired by traditional Korean ceramics, which helps minimize waste production and substantially lower the project's carbon footprint.
The core concept of the master plan is thoughtfully structured around six distinct layers that collectively express the overarching idea of the "Grand Circle of Life." The first layer establishes SeoulOne as a truly multigenerational development, providing comprehensive services and amenities ranging from specialized children's facilities to dedicated elderly centers and complete medical facilities, supporting a much broader range of age groups than traditional developments typically found throughout the country.
Building upon this foundational principle, the second layer creates the infrastructure for a genuine 10-minute, walkable city where all urban conveniences remain within short walking distance from residents' homes. Constructed on an innovative car-free, elevated platform, vehicular access to underground parking facilities is provided via a carefully planned outer ring road that completely encircles the site. Meanwhile, a strategic ring of outward-facing retail outlets creates seamless connections between the development and surrounding communities. A planned metro station adjacent to the site will ensure quick and convenient access to Seoul's heart, including the bustling Gangnam district.
The third layer supports the 10-minute city approach through sophisticated mixed-use programming that actively fosters 24/7 activity throughout the development. This comprehensive approach combines housing options suitable for all age groups, retail establishments of various scales, diverse restaurants and cafés, professional daycare and healthcare centers, a modern library and learning center, comprehensive sports facilities, contemporary office spaces, and a full-service hotel. This carefully planned mix ensures that residents can effectively live, work, play, shop, and learn entirely within comfortable walking distance.
The fourth layer significantly expands the commercial offerings, providing diverse retail experiences specifically designed for different user groups. These range from large-scale shopping malls and prominent flagship stores to intimate small street pavilions, effectively serving both permanent residents and visiting guests. The fifth layer focuses extensively on public space design, featuring a network of interconnected plazas, strategically placed pocket parks, the signature forest walk, peaceful water gardens, innovative roof gardens, diverse recreational spaces, inviting green courtyards, and extensive green roofs that collectively create a comprehensive green village designed for year-round enjoyment and community interaction.
The final layer centers on comprehensive urban revitalization, successfully transforming a previously unused railway yard into an entirely new urban typology that serves as a model for similar developments. The project includes the careful design of several landmark destinations within the neighborhood, with a signature building called "The Cube" serving as a major anchor for the entire development.
The Cube's west wing contains a large retail mall on its lower levels, modern offices on the middle floors, and a luxury hotel featuring stepped rooftop terraces and a unique sunken secret garden at the top. The office spaces within The Cube are thoughtfully organized around a large collaborative atrium courtyard, featuring an impressive sweeping ramp that elegantly links all office floors. This central green courtyard is crowned by carefully designed stepped skylights that allow abundant natural daylight to flood the interior spaces. Another specialized area, called "The Cube Nest," houses additional retail, comprehensive fitness, and diverse entertainment spaces, connected to the main building via an innovative sky bridge.
To actively encourage social interaction and reduce potential isolation among residents, every two residential towers in the development are strategically connected by a shared podium structure. These podiums form designated "M-community levels," which serve as dedicated spaces specifically designed for residents to meet, interact, and engage in community activities.
Ben van Berkel, founder and principal architect of UNS, explained the project's vision: "For the SeoulOne masterplan we have aimed to create the ultimate contemporary 10-minute city, where the daily life experience of the residents is the top priority. We do this through the inclusion of a rich density of uplifting, curated on-site experiences that provide an extensive range of options for how residents of all ages can spend their living, working and leisure time."
The SeoulOne project represents part of a broader architectural renaissance occurring throughout Seoul, with several major international firms contributing to the city's urban transformation. The development stands as a comprehensive model for future urban planning that prioritizes environmental sustainability, multigenerational living, and community connectivity while respecting traditional Korean architectural and planning principles.
