The first self-proclaimed gated community in Korea was completed in northern Seoul in 2010. Named as “The Gate Hills”, the small residential community has 16 two-story detached houses within walls and boasts high security that allows no one but the residents into the compound. It is marketed as a manifestation of the housing culture of the upper class wanting protection of privacy. The homepage of the constructor presents gated community as safe and free at the same time, mentioning its American origin - Tuxedo Park in New York.
Why do I view it as a 'self-proclaimed' gated community? This new development has no amenity reserved for the residents and the very size (16 households) makes me wonder whether it can be qualified as a veritable community. In spite of the inconsistency, it is a significant move in the evolution of Korean housing. There have been a few luxury collective housing compounds controlling both human and vehicular access in Korea, but The Gate Hills seems to be the first individual housing community controlling human access. There are similar projects in other parts of Korea such as Pangyo, new town in the south of Seoul.
For more information, visit the home page (Korean).
To see the photos, read the article of Chosun Ilbo.
 |
| The Gate Hills (Image from Chosun Ilbo) |
Why do I view it as a 'self-proclaimed' gated community? This new development has no amenity reserved for the residents and the very size (16 households) makes me wonder whether it can be qualified as a veritable community. In spite of the inconsistency, it is a significant move in the evolution of Korean housing. There have been a few luxury collective housing compounds controlling both human and vehicular access in Korea, but The Gate Hills seems to be the first individual housing community controlling human access. There are similar projects in other parts of Korea such as Pangyo, new town in the south of Seoul.
For more information, visit the home page (Korean).
To see the photos, read the article of Chosun Ilbo.
I do not agree that this kind of development represents an evolution. In fact, I consider this example as a threat to the relative communality that Korean society enjoys in terms of access within the city. For me, this kind of development represents a "devolution" of Korean housing which needs to be restricte and viewed as the threat it is.
ReplyDelete