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-`491`-
Planning the New City Based on the Geomancy: A Case of theDesign of the New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)*
Han Suk Ock**, Tae Yeol Seo***
경관풍수에입각한신도시의개념적설계 : 행정중심복합예정도시를사례로*
옥한석**, 서태열***
Abstract:The Republic of Korea is planning to build the New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC). The
purpose of this paper is to suggest the conceptual framework for this new city that relies on the Korean geomancy,
oriental viewpoint on man and nature relationship, particularly in Korea. According to the Geomancy which could
conceptualize the human-environment relationship in the site, the overall landscape image of the city could be
symbolized by two flying crane with three Taegueks. In transforming the overall landscape image to urban form, two
diamonds which means eternity and strength arises from the western spatial viewpoint, as means to protect and
harmonize the human, land and mountain relationship in this site and the symbolic meaning of this site as generative
and sacred place in Korean people’s mind. On the one hand, through juxtaposing of the two diamonds a geometric
structure shows up, on the other hand the main axis of the city could be established from two crane and three
Taegueks. On the North-South axis from the core of the symbolic green axis, symbolic things will be located, and the
administrative offices will be placed on the East-West axis. Peripherals of the central axis also play a role in developing
overall land use from image. The buildings and residents could be arranged and located according to undulations and
this is based on the oriental theory of geomancy. We can build cultural amenities on the head part of the crane and on
the core area.
Key Words : Geomancy, landscape image, geometric structure, land use, sustainable city
요약:경관풍수는인간, 토지, 물, 산과의관계를잘형상화할수있는친환경적이고도자연적인토대에서도시의경관과경관이미
지를 설계하는 데 이용될 수 있다. 이 은 최근 건설예정인 행정중심 복합도시 예정지역을 대상으로 경관풍수와 전통적인 한국의
인간-자연관계를바탕으로도시의개념적틀을제시하는데목적이있다. 즉도시의구조와형태, 도시내토지이용등다양한방면
에걸쳐서도시관련개념적틀을제시하는것이다. 행정복합중심도시건설예정지는경관풍수지리적으로보면, 평화, 조화를의미
하는쌍학(雙鶴)과강인함과상생, 생성, 그리고성스러운삼태극의이미지를보인다. 이러한바탕위에서서구적인공간관이라고도
볼수있는중첩된다이아몬드구조를도시구조에부여함으로써이러한전통적경관풍수적이고도친자연적인장소이미지와상징성
을지속적으로유지할수있도록도시의형태를계획할수있다. 다이아몬드각각의두중심점과접점에의하여이루어지는세개의
* This paper is based on the proposal which was applied to the public conceptual subscription for the New Multi-functional
Administrative City(NMAC)
** Professor, Department of Geography Education, Kangwon National University, [email protected]
*** Professor, Department of Geography Education, Korea University
Journal of the Korean Geographical Society, Vol. 40, No. 5, 2005(491~513)
1. Introduction
The Republic of Korea is planning to build the
New Multi-functional Administrative City
(NMAC). The New City will host main central
government bodies which will serve as the city’s
central focus and around which industrial,
educational, and cultural facilities will be built
creating a city with a population of 500,000 on
73.14 km of land in Gongju-Yongi County.
In this paper, we tried to construct the
conceptual framework for the new city that relies
upon the oriental theory of geomancy, oriental
viewpoint of man and nature relationship, and to
seek the harmony between the oriental spatial
viewpoint and the western spatial viewpoint on
the city as the habitat for human being and
nature. We hope that our original and
inspirational ideas will provide new ideas in
urban design and planning of the new city.
Furthermore, we want to argue that the main
point in constructing a new city is to create a
peaceful environment for people to live in,
pursuing the harmony between nature and
human, and just recover people’s composure of
the busy world today. In order to perform this
task, the idea that human must allow one to get
closer to the nature and work to conserve the
nature itself should be considered.
Authors want to suggest what is conceptual
ideal city for Korean people’s mind and what is
the future “peaceful eco-polis” which will open a
new peaceful coexisting world of nature and
humans, through discussing main issues such as
the value of city, theory of geomancy, landscape
image, the structure and urban form of the city,
and through considering overall land use,
population density, distribution of building mass,
housing types, the major transportation modes
and operation, the cultural amenities.
2. Planning the New City Based on
the Korean Geomancy
1) The first step: deciding the value of city
The first step of planning the new city would
be to decide and define the value of the city.
Because of the symbolic image and its function,
the new multi-functional administrative city
(NMAC) will play most important role in Korean
peninsula. Therefore, the new city should be
structured towards peace through pursuing
ecological and democratic values. The main
priority will be the establishment of peace. It
could be oriented toward “the city in nature, the
city for nature”. Thus the symbolization of city is
peace as a completeness of prosperity, harmony,
unity and living as one.
Here, the peace is the peace in nature through
all conflicts and competition in this corrupted
world, harmony means the harmony between
nature and human, between different social
classes, and between men and women. In this
city, we can seek to minimize the tension among
various members of the society and the nature
itself. Problems arise of men and women, of
-`492`-
Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
중심점에도시의남북, 동서의중심축이형성되고광장, 행정기관, 시청사가입지시킬수있다. 도시내교통망은방사형및직교형
으로건설하고, 중심점부근에문화시설을설치하며지속가능한도시발전을위하여자연보존지구등을남겨놓을수있을것이다.
주요어 : 경관풍수, 경관이미지, 기하학적인구조, 토지이용, 지속가능한도시
generation gap, and of conflicts among people of
different regions. Through the new city, nature,
people can learn to embrace one another with
compassion and in this sense, will be able to
relieve all the conflicts going on in today’s
society (KRSI, 2004). People do not seem to have
any time to keep their composures; however, this
can all be regained by getting in relations with
the creation of nature.
The value of city also must include the
meaning of unity and in this matter will lead
people to see the city as uniting the North Korea
and South Korea as a complete one nation.
Unification of Korea symbolizes eternity and
through the city, people will remember this
significance. Learning to live in peace is very
important in this society and by establishing new
city, “our new multi-functional administrative
city” that includes culture, administrative,
university, research institutions, and high
technology industrial complex, it will fulfill the
society with spirit to live as one, in harmony.
The location of the city is an implication of the
mountain and the river. In relation, human will
be located in the “nature”, in other words, it is
not just a city in a wide plain, but a “utopia”
surrounded by the original Korea’s beauty of
mountain and the river(Suh, 2000; Ock, 2003). By
establishing this ideal city, we will not be far
from the peaceful future in our hands. We hope
to call the new city (NMAC), “Peaceful eco-polis”.
2) Searching the theoretical background of
conceptual framework of the new city :
Application of the geomancy and
oriental human-nature relationship
First oriental theoretical background of the city
come from and is related to Korea’s traditional
environmental theory called geomancy or
Pungsu. The nature of the geomancy theory is
divided into two parts, vitality condition (Senggi)
and feeling vitality condition (Kamung). Feeling
vitality condition is so called the Kamung and
vitality condition that resulted from moderate
moisture and temperature influenced people. We
must be able to feel the vitality condition and this
is all derived from the value of geomancy theory.
Vitality condition and feeling vitality condition
are elements that gave influence to all humans
and creatures. This defines the nature of the
geomancy theory. Based upon the amount of
feeling vitality condition, the power of life was
determined. Expectations of life, being high or
low, being high or low, strong or weak, rich or
poor, and up or down, depended upon the
amount of vitality one felt. This phenomenon
was created by the power of cosmos.
Circulating the fresh mild wind (Jangpung
method) and accepting the moisture under the
temperature (Duksu method) are aimed to
achieve vitality condition which literally means a
good combination of the moisture, temperature
and fresh mild wind. Koreans developed
geomancy in housing and applied this
knowledge in their living (Suh, 2000). The
Koreans tried to prevent water and wind troubles
in their homes, settlements, and cities by
establishing themselves in the best places that
showed a good combination of water and wind,
related to the circulating of the fresh mild wind
and accepting of the moisture under the
temperature methods(Lee, 1993). The best places
will be called by “Bright yard (Myungdang)” in
number 7 of Figure 1. The bright yard is the
place that people can feel vitality condition.
In choosing the location of best places in
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
-`493`-
different regions, we must consider mountains
and waters of that region. The good harmony of
mountain, water, and land is show up with the
model. The various models cannot be explained
easily, so it always is symbolized by animals
including crane, plants, or things.
The geomancy fulfills many meanings that are
in relation to today (Ock and Park, 2003). First of
all, it is regarded as the most important
traditional science based upon the systemic
knowledge of physical environment. Secondly,
Korea’s traditional architecture is an influential
ideal system. Furthermore it is viewed as a
traditional geography that provides ideal spaces
and selective homes. As a whole, it provides a
new knowledge that a land is more than an
object but a correlation between the nature and
the human. This theory will be the ecological
viewpoint. Its ideas can provide amenity,
compassion, and fulfillment to our people so that
they can have a peaceful future in harmony.
Furthermore, the city, for Koreans, is for vitality
condition and the sense of stability. In this sense,
the marks of locations in the figure will be
expressed as the squares and circles, and the
squares will measure up to the ratio of 1:2 of
length and width. This symbolizes the spiritual
gathering of the oriental vitality and stability.
The second oriental background could be
found in Yin-Yang theory. The theory represents
-`494`-
Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
Figure 1. General model of geomancy concept (Source: Chung Myun Lee, p.597)
yin and yang. Generally, yin means the north
mountain side which is against the sun and so
darkness covers, and yang means the south of
the mountain side which faces the sun. This
theory represents the spatial duality theory that
bases its origin on the universe and the earth that
the world of darkness started a new world. Yin
and yang also came from the theory of Taegeuk,
including the meaning that the creation of the
universe is the state of Taegeuk. Our nation’s flag
called Tae-guk-ki derived from this theory. The
form of the flag arises from the color red and
blue, from yang and yin, which naturally is
harmonized into one representing one nation.
Furthermore, the Sam-taegeuk (three Taegeuks)
includes the three elements; the sky, land, and
human. It represents an ever-lasting state and in
the history of Korea, Sam-taegeuk was regarded
as a sacred sign and people thought of this as
more than just a sign, but as a way to life.
In relation to the natural phenomenal, yin and
yang most of the time have meanings including
variations of night and day, temperature, and the
season. The theory is not in existence in the
western society but the differentiation between
the western and the oriental elements does not
arise any conflicts. On the contrary, in
harmonizing, and coexisting of the two elements,
unity is formed so greatly between the two
features.
The third oriental background could be the
construction of traditional Korea city theory. The
start of the construction of a traditional Korean
city could be determined by the once Eastern
Asia’s premodern capital city called Hansung Bu.
This city was made in the image of a natural
atmosphere, and the elements of this city could
be summarized as the powerful throne (Ock,
2003).
The main division of the city was artificially
divided by the internal and external part of the
capital city. Naturally, Hansung Bu was classified
as the central world and its surrounding world.
Inside the capital city, the King’s ideology was
adapted and followed the systematically principle
of the ideology(Ock and Park, 2003). Outer
world of the main city was influenced through
exposure to natural environment and the facilities
were arranged according to the connection to the
inner world of the city. Furthermore, while the
central world of the city was a sacred space in
relation to the throne, the outer world was a
sacrificing space and therefore different altars
were located in different parts of the city.
However, in this modern world, the urban
structure should be converted so that the central
world of the city will be for all people, and the
space in which people can feel the rise of the
spirit should be returned to them. The sacred
place and space which was only for the throne
centuries ago, it should be for all the people and
should be conserved in the modern world today.
Most of the altars outside of the city were in
relation with the agricultures since the
neighboring district was mainly an agriculture
region. Hansung Bu’s structure of the city was
formed in reflection to the social characteristics
of that period and through main facilities’
locations and arrangements, Hansung Bu
naturally became the standard of all cities.
The throne was the main symbol of the city,
and including ruling of a nation; the relation to
the throne was generally the basic principles of
the city. The city could be classified into two
different aspects, one, methodically, composition
of ideal system and symbolic system, in unity
with nature completes a city. Specifically, the
function of the city is in relation to the people.
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
-`495`-
The elements of the city have characteristics of its
specific city and naturally have characters of the
kind.
3) Extracting overall landscape image
The overall landscape image should be for the
people. It is to be oriental and in accordance to
the theory of geomancy and yin-yang theory, the
mountain, water, and land should be
harmonized.
It shows up the modified geomancy model
conceptualizing the human-environment
relationship in this site, which is symbolized by
“flying crane”(Figure 2). This city lies in the
shape of twin divine cranes that makes a nest
under the main mountain, Mt. Wonsu. The two
mountains, in relation to the river, and the land,
Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
-`496`-
Figure 2. Modified geomancy model conceptualizing the human-environment relationship in this site.(thick black lines are various kind of mountain streams).
Figure 3. Two mountains (Left : Mt. Wonsu, Right : Mt. Bihak).
are lies in the heart of the region, and they will
provide stability to this region as the center of all
areas. Mt. Bihak is formed in the shape of one of
the cranes flying toward the nest. Bihak means
“flying crane” in Chinese character. (Figure 3)
The mountains are related in accordance to
geomancy and Kumkang River, the river of life,
which flows between the two cranes. The male
crane is placed on the north side, and the female
crane is placed on the south. In Korean culture,
the crane symbolizes sublimation and
transcendence of an endless life (Figure 4). In
order to understand the concept of geomancy,
the objects, and natures are symbolized to
provide better understanding of the Korean
culture.
The black and white color of the cranes is the
symbol of freshness and nobleness. For Koreans
to live long lives like cranes do, they have to be
very moral, peaceful, and kind. Administrators
who will work for the city should have qualities
like that of a crane. They should not be selfish or
corrupt. In our history, traditional Korean
administrators had embroidered cranes on their
uniforms.
According to our traditional geographic
theories, mountains influence the citizens. Most
Korean kings could read his subjects’ thoughts
through the mountains that are in deep relation
with water and wind. The key to form an overall
image is the relationship between the land,
water, river, and the mountain. In other words,
natural environment condition is the highlight of
forming an overall landscape.
Moreover, the strong affinity between men and
nature is also important in forming the natural
image of a landscape. Showing affection for the
natural environment will restore the beauty and
compassion for the corrupted environment today.
As the urban population increases, destructive
features take over some of our most splendor
features of the natural environment. However, if
we put some effort into making a unified nature,
the overall landscape by the harmony of men
and nature, the peaceful future will not be far
from it.
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
-`497`-
Figure 4. Two Korean art (left : crane picture, right :administrators dressed on an official uniformembroidered cranes
Figure 5. Symbolic meaning of this site, two cranesare flying.
-`498`-
Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
The head, heart, wings, feet, and tails of the
cranes mark important areas in our “peaceful
ecopolis.” The cranes’ food is spread out in front
of the five features. The five features of the
cranes are small five cities including three
Taegeuks, which means three cities(figure 5). The
water comes from the Sam-taegeuk(three
Taegeuks) which forms all creations in heaven
and earth. In this nation, the location is
traditionally located on the heart of the land, and
the two river confluence in flowing of the Sam-
taegeuk (three Taegeuks) (Figure 6).
They will have various special functions in this
city that have various urban zones. These are
residential, business, commercial, and cultural
zones.
Our modern society is democratic, so our city
will differ from Korean cities from the past. The
society will not be in accordance of only the
King’s view, but in the view of all people.
However, the image that shows the love of rulers
for people will also be applied so that our
society will develop into a uniformed society.
3. Constructing the Structure and
Urban Form of the City
In transforming the overall landscape image to
urban form, the two ideal spots will be the heart
of development. The two cranes that symbolize
the city have the forms of one diamond structure.
Furthermore, the Sam-taegeuk is surrounded by
another diamond. The form of diamond arises
from the western spatial view and in unifying the
two diamonds and the cranes and Sam-taegeuk,
the oriental and western view is harmonized.
In selecting the cranes, the region of Sam-
taegeuk can be strongly conserved and possibly,
in order to preserve the untouched natural state
of the conserved area, the core is created in the
central part of where the right and left diamonds
meet. The cores are also created in the outlet of
where from the symbolic meaning of the oriental
thory river flows from the sacred space(the three
Taegueks)to secular space(two cranes).
Furthermore, the two cores lie in the center of
the two cranes. In this sense, the three cores are
created.
The image of nature is the fulfillment of the
total land structure of the city. Moreover,
characteristics of harmony, unification, and peace
Figure 6. Waters from Sam-Taeguek
Figure 7. Two diamond structures for eternity in thissite
are to be naturally blended in for the fulfillment
of the city. In this sense, the nature formed by
the harmonized mountain, water, and land
should be conserved with strong determination.
Juxtaposing of the two diamonds becomes a
geometric structure(Figure 7). Among the
intersecting places, the three places will be the
core area. The form of the two diamonds is the
desire for the spirit to spread out far across the
city.
The three core areas will be in this structure of
the city. The core areas will have a radial road
system and the remaining areas will have a
crossroad system. All highway networks will
form an overlapped diamond shape and a
crossroad system.
On the other hand, we can borrow the western
spatial viewpoint in terms of the structure of city
to make shape the global city and to harmonize
the oriental and the western.
The earliest cities of the North America were
usually modeled, grew without formal plan, in
conformity to local topography or harbor
frontages. However, in the mid-centuries of the
western world, stylized North American city
model first appeared with straight streets crossing
at right angles. It was adapted from the European
planners of the same period and as the city
flourished, the habit of laying out squares or
rectangles was strongly reinforced at the end of
the eighteenth century. In the late 19th century, it
became necessary to create a large number of
towns almost overnight. The focus of a city was
the location of the railroad station (Levy, 2003).
The placement of the railroad station signified
both logical utilities.
As the cities grew larger the diagonal streets
were introduced and western minds leaned
toward economical dependence (Hall, 1996).
However, problems arose where the original city
blocks were platted with short frontages. These
hold up modern traffic flow every few yards, and
people begin to look for new way to prepare for
the increasing city. The search for space, which,
a century ago, was creating the “streetcar
suburbs” of older American cities, has, in the
automobile era, caused an explosion of urban
spread. It became the prime symbol of
consumption, not only for individual homes, but
for business and industry as well. As we could
see from the past centuries of the western cities .
Korean traditional cities and western cities were
worlds apart from consistency. In this sense we
must be able to blend both the western and the
oriental culture into one.
In this sense, we can put rectangular and
circular shape into the inner part of the two
diamonds. This symbolizes pleasures and a firm,
desirable society. The three cores will be
connected together and the left diamond’s inner
part will be in the form of rectangle. It has been
believed that the ratio 2:1 of width and length
symbolizes the spiritual gathering of the oriental
vitality condition and stability. The inner core
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
-`499`-
Figure 8. Land use structure induced from landimage.
area of the diamond is in the form of a circle and
the other two cores are in the forms of circle as
well. You can see overall land use concept
induced from land image (Figure 8).
The oriental structure and the western structure
of the diamonds must be in coexistence so that
the city will be but dull. It is not easy for the two
completely different forms to come into one,
however, in completing the form, will the two
cultures effuse and develop into a better and a
peaceful city.
In looking at the overall land use, you can see
that the three core areas connected to axis form
three lines that are the bases of an important
axis. The central axis represents the main
connector of the two diamonds to the area
symbolized as the upper crane that bear a broad
social welfare.
The symbol of the axis could be divided into
three parts. First of all, it could be divided into
axis of the North-South, which includes the
attachment of the Mt. Wonsu. to the Mt. Bihak.
From the geomancy perspective, this region is
spiritually the most lively region; the ideal spot of
the axis. On the North-South axis from the core
of the symbolic green axis, symbolic things will
be located. On the North, the library, the
museum, art center, the memorial tower of
unification, the square plaza, the monument, and
visual of crane symbolizing the origin of
geomancy will be located (Figure 9).
These features should be arranged in a
concentrated way so that it will signify the desire
of our land of unification- oriented overflowed
with energy and passion. In relation to the
crane, the two main regions lie on each core of
the two cranes. On the south of the main axis of
the core, more environmental things will be
located. Located are lakes that will be surround
by gardens, and the river will flow through the
gardens and head down from the northwest to
the southeast. Furthermore, a great pavilion will
be located in the lake.
The south of the main core will basically be
filled with greens, just like the gardens in the
European countries. The meadows are not just
green land, it is a garden filled will beauty and
splendor and people will be surprised at the way
the gardens are made. It will be a place for
people to stroll along and enjoy the nature just as
the way it is. The axis deprived from the central
core of the diamond will be in all greens which
means that the axis are park, gardens, or just
plain greens, leading to the four points of the
diamond, furthermore, to the outer part of the
-`500`-
Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
Figure 9. Land use structure induced from landimage.
cores. The NMAC city hall will be located at
another core, the heart of female crane.
Moreover, in the focus of the ideal spot as the
main region, the administrative offices will be
placed on the East-West axis. Included of the
administrative offices are the Ministry of Finance
and Economy, of Education and Human
Resources Development, of Science and
Technology, of Culture and Tourism, of
Agriculture and Forestry, of Commerce, Industry
and Energy, of Information and Communication,
of Health and Welfare, of Environment, of Labor,
of Construction and Transportation, of Maritime
Affairs and Fisheries, the National Tax Service
and the National Emergency Management
Agency.
In relation to the axis of the central core, the
core that lies in the line where the two diamonds
meet, the presidential commission and prime
minister’s commission are located. Included of
the presidential commission is Civil Service
commission, Presidential commission on small
and medium enterprises, Korea Independent
Commission against Corruption. Included of the
Prime minister’s commission are The Office for
Government Policy Coordination, Prime
Minister’s Secretariat, Emergency Planning
Commission, Fair Trade Commission, The
Ombudsman of Korea, National Youth
Commission, Ministry of Planning and Budget,
Ministry of Government Legislation, Government
Information Agency, and the Ministry of Patriots
and Veterans Affairs.
The East-West axis is also the main connector
of the city’s transportation axis and the binding
of the inner structure. It is also a region for
connecting the two cranes and Sam-taegeuk.
Especially in the case of Seoul, the Han River
plays a major role in separating the two regions,
Kangnam(South Seoul) and Kangbuk(North
Seoul). For this matter, overcoming the isolation
of the two regions is in great need. In addition,
the North and the South region have a great
regional separation, so in the standard of the
Kumkang River, there is a need for another axis
to bind the two regions of Kangnam(South
NMAC) and Kangbuk(North NMAc). In this way,
the North-South axis and East-West axis may
become the central space of unification in
overcoming the isolation of the two regions by
the river.
Together, the North-South axis and East-West
axis become the central axis. Peripherals of the
central axis also play a role in developing land
use from its image. On the right side of the
central axis, the sacred diamond region
compromises the image of affinity of the nature.
On the left side of the axis, represents the reality
state such as the industrial development,
dwelling site. This field of merchant city is the
actual world of people doing things with passion
and spirit. It is a reality space where people
move busily. The two ideal spots of the
topography are connected and this in turn, forms
the central axis.
Far apart from the central target, where the
green plains are spread, there are research and
development center, universities, and low-density
residential houses located up in the north of the
central axis. In looking at the overall land use,
you can see that most of the low-density
individual houses are far away from the diamond
and in the center of each residential region,
spaces for convenient living plaza is arranged.
Furthermore, the water reservoir should be set
up in the space of where the two diamonds meet
and where the left diamond ends.
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4. Suggesting Overall Land Use,
Distribution of Building Mass,
Housing Types, Transportation
Systems
1) Overall land use planning and housing
types
In distributing and deciding the locations of the
building mass, knowing the population density is
a crucial factor. Populations have grown over the
centuries in the cities as the development of the
urban side of the nation grew. Rapidly growing
cities are characterized by their specialized or
diversified nature and are all inter-linked by
integrating networks. For this matter, the
selective growth of certain cities due to the
development of industrial parks is evident.
The different regions, such as the residential
district, the industrial district, the business and
commercial district, and the culture district are
divided and you can see the total basic form in
the panel of the overall land use.
The buildings and residents are arranged and
located according to undulations and this is
based on the oriental theory of geomancy.
Looking at the panel of the overall land use,
there are low-level individual houses in the
middle of the left diamond block and outside of
the diamond, and high floor apartments mostly
close to the central core and inner parts of the
right side of diamond. The left block of this city
has a very low mountain. In this area, mountains
cannot accommodate the moisture that comes
from the lake in dry season.
Moisture is so important for establishing
moderate conditions. The left block will not have
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Figure 10. Overall land use
enough moisture. The moisture can only be
provided to the low buildings. This is the reason
we should build the low buildings on the left
block. In relation to the correlation of the climate
and the location, the ideal space, known as
Bright yard (Myungdang), is located in the sides
of the central core where the nature and
conveniences is compromised, furthermore, the
culture centers, parks, and the main commercial
centers is located to the center of the core and
this makes the ideal space more desirable (Figure
10).
In the middle block between the right and left
of the diamond, a business district will be built.
Also, an artificial lake will be constructed in the
middle block. Plazas, which represent a
democratic society, will be built in the rotary of
the core area. Each block must connect to
another so that the connections will have a radial
and rectangular road pattern.
On the other hand, there is a high mountain
on the right block. The condition of this block is
beneficial to high buildings. High mountains can
prevent the moisture from evaporating that it can
provide abundant moisture. Unfortunately, the
river flows on the backside of the block that it
cannot provide moisture like that of the other
block. The exact location of the lake may be in
the center of this city. Therefore, both the lake
and mountains can work together to capture a
large amount of moisture. It can lead to the
construction of tall buildings. You can see that
the high-density residential districts are close to
the river and the greens.
Living close to the nature will allow for the
high-density living resident to have cool breeze
and through mountain and the river, the
residents could be provided of lots of cool
moisture, so it would not be dense all seasons.
On the panel, you see that the low-density
residential district is located apart from the main
stream of the river. However, the low-density
residential districts are provided of green plains
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
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Figure 11. An example of residential area (low-density).
and they would not feel dense since the cool air
will flow from the plains and the mountains
surrounding them. If the district is too close to
the river, than it would not be able to endure the
rainy period which will last for at least 3 months.
Based on this condition, the population density
will be decided. The right block will have very
high population density. The apartments in the
right block faces southwest and south, but
townhouses, villas, and single-family houses are
in the left block towards southeast and south.
You can see in the Figure 10 that the
residential districts, mostly high-density
residential sites are located in the outer side of
the diamond. However, the low-density
residential region is to the peripherals or far to
the inner side of the diamond (Figure 11). This is
mainly because the districts are distributed in
accordance to the atmospheric condition of the
districts.
To live a comforting and a pleasure life, house
is one of the most important elements to
consider. There are many different kinds of
houses today, from apartments to single
individual houses. For people to live in peaceful
environment, several factors must be considered
in constructing a city. First of all, location is an
important factor for people in selecting their
homes and housing types on certain area. In the
middle of the plain, high-density houses such as
apartments will be necessary for it should be
high-storied considering the weather. On the
mountainside of the area, single individual
houses should be located. The closer to the
mountain side, low-storied houses will be perfect
for it as the atmosphere and peaceful homes
blend together. Overall, whether the houses are
high-storied or low-storied, the key to a
harmonious peaceful city is to construct a site of
nature-loving site that everyone could find
pleasures in and the site has to be in correlation
to the mountain, water, and the land,
harmonized with the humans.
Today, our life runs so fast that we have no
time to overlook at the natures and see the
beauties and splendors of it. Everyday, people
get up and go through their daily routines
without thinking about the value of the nature.
People are so used to the busy lives and the
busy city that no one seems to care about the
sound of the nature. It is important to keep one’s
composures; however, it is not easy to have
presence of mind since we have so much going
on.
To this matter, by building nature-affinity
homes, people can enjoy the pleasures in their
very home instead of making time to go out and
enjoying it. Creating the houses in the image of
nature will affect greatly of people’s minds and
naturally it will open up to pay attention to the
presence of the natural surroundings.
2) Distributing building masses
Strolling around the building provides variety
and pleasurable feelings. Through the windows
you have a view into the atriums or over the
fields and plains. There are a lot of reasons for
stopping to take a look. In this sense, it is
important for people to choose where they want
to live and develop it into their own individual
homes. Seeing the distribution of the building
masses, one of the key issues is to considerably
get close to the nature and its environment as
close as you can. Busy daily lives have kept us
apart from the nature and we have to make
measures to get close to what we have left. In
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Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
constructing the houses, we must make amends
that will be differentiated from the houses of the
past.
The CBD (Central Business District) should be
located in the region where the significant two
cranes’ abdomens meet (Figure 12). There should
be a waterfront in the peripheral of the river that
passes through the center of the city. The
waterfront symbolizes divinity, and it should be
located where the wild nature-free region end
and where the secular world starts. It is to gather
the Holy Spirit so that the water way will be ever
lasting and through the oriental-nature view and
the spirit will last forever in the water.
In today’s society, the natural stream’s
conservation is needed so by establishing a
waterfront, may the main business and
commercial region be made into higher statures
and the rest of the region, into lower statures as
you can see on the panel of the total land usage.
The business and commercial district is to be
located on the peripherals of the inner part of the
diamond where it meets with the residential
districts and the river, where it flows directly
across it. The streams that flow through the main
district of business and commercials eventually
flow and meet with the artificial lake and the
river in which the waterfront is formed.
The industrial buildings must be placed at the
end and the left side of the river (Figure 13).
We will build cultural amenities on the head
part of the crane. Particularly, we will build a
theater that reminds people of Greek’s Dionysos’
amphitheatre on the head of it. On the core area
that three Taekuks form the exhibition, opera
house, and performing place are located (Figure
14). People will be free to use the various
complex facilities and enjoy different kinds of
sports.
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
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Figure 12. An example of commercial and businessarea.
Figure 13. An example of industrial area.
Figure 14. An example of culture area.
Memorial center will be located on the end
side of the garden area by the Kumkang river.
King Sejong or other great people are to be
remembered and special traces will be made in
their fame. The scenery will be so beautiful that
residents can enjoy peaceful moments of the
total scene.
Looking at the figure of where the culture
facilities lie, you will be able to see that the
culture facilities are located in the region of the
business district. Furthermore, the peripherals of
the inner diamond show the major complex
center and you can see that it is close to the
river. The major facilities for culture and
recreation will be located on the outer part of the
diamond, but close to it, as the map shows its
connection to the core and the axis of the
diamond. People can take great pleasure as they
harmonize with the nature and enjoy culture and
different activities.
The plaza is important as well. By putting the
plaza on the center of the core area in which
juxtaposition of diamond composes, we want to
make a Korean hall for sacrificial rite gate that
represents a high quality odd culture and science
in Korea. The plaza will be larger like the plaza
in Paris where people of different societies gather
and just enjoy different cultures. In locating the
plaza in the center of the core, it can be a place
for socializing and can be represented as the
heart of passion and free spirit.
3) Administrative buildings and open space
The administrative buildings and open space is
shown on the figure of the central axis. The
public spaces will be positioned on the diamond
pattern area. There are three public spaces. The
three different monuments will be built on each
of these three public space areas. Public spaces
can be accessed through the arterials. The
gardens from North-South axis form a linear
shape. People can enjoy a good sightseeing
while walking along the gardens. The disposable
landscape results from the fitness of the new city
structure to the principle of geomancy.
The main core of the diamond will be the
central plaza. Facing to the right of the main
core, the west side of the green axis will be the
center of culture, science and art. It will be filled
with passion, spirit, and ambition. People will
enjoy different culture activities and they will get
a chance to have pleasure in the activities. To the
east side of the green axis will be the center of
social welfare. According to the theory of
geomancy, relation to welfares is to the east and
in following this theory will have hope of
prosperity.
The inner part of the city will be in forms of
rectangle, circle, and diagonal and the outer part;
the two diamonds will embrace the inner side of
the diamonds. Not only the city be composed of
realism, but there will also be central park, and
an artificial lake for people to stroll and just
enjoy the nature of it.
The value of forming a lake artificially is a vital
sign of gathering the spirits and it is very
important in relation to geomancy. The lake will
be made in the form of nature itself and people
will visualize it as a unification lake. The central
park will be constructed in the place of the
pavilions. The parks will be located on each part
of the axis of the central core and people will be
free to grow closer to the nature environment in
this way.
On the panel showing the locations of the
buildings, you can see the administrative offices
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Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
located on the right axis of the central core. It
will be lined up next to the green plains in
which all the axis of the diamond is covered
with. The main government offices will be
located on the core area of the spaces where the
two cranes, the two diamonds meet. To the right
side of the main core will the administrative
buildings be located.
Listed are the 13 ministries; Ministry of Finance
and Economy, of Education and Human
Resources Development, of Science and
Technology, of Culture and Tourism, of
Agriculture and Forestry, of Commerce, Industry
and Energy, of Information and Communication,
of Health and Welfare, of Environment, of Labor,
of Construction and Transportation, of Maritime
Affairs and Fisheries, the National Tax Service
and the National Emergency Management
Agency.
In relation to the axis of the central core, the
core that lies in the line where the two diamonds
meet, the presidential commission and prime
minister’s commission are located. Included of
the presidential commission is Civil Service
commission, Presidential commission on small
and medium enterprises, Korea Independent
Commission against Corruption. Included of the
Prime minister’s commission are The Office for
Government Policy Coordination, Prime
Minister’s Secretariat, Emergency Planning
Commission, Fair Trade Commission, The
Ombudsman of Korea, National Youth
Commission, Ministry of Planning and Budget,
Ministry of Government Legislation, Government
Information Agency, and the Ministry of Patriots
and Veterans Affairs.
The open space, which is the space outside of
the diamond, will be left as a wilderness state. It
could be a lake park, or garden squares; just
itself will be the nature- free zone. The crucial
point in developing spaces like this is that we
must not be able to place any artificial materials
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
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Figure 15. Open space and the greens.
or destroy the zone with trash. In order to
conserve this area, people must be able to
understand the nature and work to get close to it
by just feeling the open space (Figure 15).
In order to maintain a sustainable city, the
control for the water system is in great need. The
control for rainwater, sewage should be located
inner and outer parts of the city. It is important
for the sewage disposal plant to be located along
the river as the sewage must not be in contact
with the nature itself, but has to be transported to
the disposal plant. Moreover, the network system
has to be constructed in advance to the culture
amenities and the figure of the water control and
network system shows clearly where it should be
located. The various systems can be greatly
advanced by the ubiquitors(Figure 16). The
development of a sustainable city is not just the
development of culture, but the development of
the sustainable grounds and associated plants
and systems.
4) Major transportation modes and
operation
Once the structure of the ideal city is planned,
transportation modes and operation must be
considered. The transportation these days vary
broadly and we have gotten closer to the modern
technology as years move on. However, the
development must not stop here but work
further on in order to make our lives convenient.
The transportation system consists of highway
network of intra-city buses, cars, and inter-urban
light rail transit.
The inter-urban transportation system has four
main roots in which it leads to the outer part of
the city. First of all, in order to get to the target
site from Seoul, the major transportation will be
KOREA TRAIN EXPRESS (KTX) which already
exists, and from the Osong Station of KTX at
about 16 km north, the light rail transit(LRT), will
lead the way to the main target site, the central
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Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
Figure 16. Water control and network system.
core of the diamond. People can get within 60
minutes to the New City (NMAC) from Seoul
using KTX train and the LRT. The LRT runs
through the south-north corridor to the south
end of the City (Figure 17).
LRT is not in existence today, but in Japan it is
one of the major transportations and if we could
get it started, than it will grow to become one of
the major transportations in our country as well.
Secondly, the four major cities, the city of
Jochiwon, the city of Gongju, the city of
Cheonwongun, and the city of Daejon(Yooseong
District, Sintanjin District) will be connected to
the target site by some arterials and it will each
lead directly to the site. The transport to the main
target site from Chunan interchange will be by
taking the Gyeongbu expressway. The arterial
will be from the south, Yooseong District and by
taking the LRT; it will be easier to get to the
target site.
There are five main communication root which
is the arterials of 6~8 lanes in both directions, the
collectors of 4 lanes, the local roads such as
country roads and other feeder roads. These
main roots connect integrated highways;
however the inner road (Figure 18) system is in
need for connecting the inner part of the city.
In planning a new transportation system, the
recent transport development’s problems have to
be overlooked and make changes in having to
transport from city to city. Local roads are 2 lane
vehicle roads in grid pattern in the blocks.
Collectors are for collecting and distributing
traffics between arterials and local roads. Arterials
are networked in radial pattern and make 3
major rotaries at the intersections in which they
are crossed mutually or with collectors.
The road system must not be in discord with
the natural environment and must be developed
so that the nature will be conserved without
harms. For example, within the conserved
region, the road must be direct and streets for
foreigners must be constructed in accord to the
natural contour line and the nature itself
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
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Figure 17. Inter-urban network.
Highways are to be lined and developed in
accord of the natural environment as far as
possible so that the nature should be preserved
well. For example, at the foot of mountains or
hillside areas, it is usual the roads are not straight
in accord to the natural contour line and the
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Han Suk Ock·Tae Yeol Seo
Figure 18. Highway and transit network.
Figure 19. Bicycle network and pedestrian mall.
nature itself. In preserved areas, highways or
roads are developed to the minimum.
In addition to the highway networks, bicycle
networks are developed. Bicycle networks
consist of exclusive bicycle roads and bicycle
lanes as a part of highway. Bicycle networks are
distributed broadly around the City; in urban
centers, residential areas, preserved districts and
so on (Figure 19).
5. Conclusion
In this paper, authors tried to show how the
Korean geomancy, and oriental viewpoint on
man-nature relationship could be applied into
planning the conceptual framework for new city,
particularly in the case of the New Multi-
functional Administrative City (NMAC) in Korea,
through the process of deciding the value of city,
searching the theoretical background, extracting
overall landscape image, constructing the urban
structure and form and suggesting overall land
use.
We also focused on ideas how to preserve
nature and establishing a city, how both the
nature and the city have to be harmonized into
one. The central point in establishing a new city
is that we become one with the nature.
Furthermore, the theories of geomancy have
shown us that water, mountain, and land have to
coexist in order to develop into a better world.
From the land image, we have transformed the
image to a complete form of a city, and have
assembled the building mass and its
transportation system through the map. The
different districts that has been divided shows the
basic idea of how the facilities should be located
and adapting the ideal theory of both oriental
and western spatial viewpoint, the city will be a
blending of both cultures, and will be developed
into a polished, new city. The NMAC, the new
multi-functional administrative city is also to be
mutual dependent and self-reliant. In developing
this form of the city, the cultural, industrial, and
business region is to be complemented and
people will rely upon this developing city,
instead of their own home town. The
enlargement and the fulfillment of the spaces in
the formation of the city will provide a new
urban formation for the people.
It will be a reborn of a peaceful and a natural
“eco-polis.” In developing a city, many measures
have to be made and many risks have to be
taken. Trying to construct a new advanced city is
not to be quick, but firm and precise in every
detail of what is made and located. In this matter,
having to harmonize nature and people is the
main priority in constructing the city, and
developing it into a better town is the next best
thing of what we have to do. The development
of both mutual dependent and self - reliant city,
the development of the future “peaceful eco-
polis” will raise a new world and open a new
peaceful coexisting world of nature and humans.
Acknowledgement
The authors are grateful to Mi Jin Kim (Ianrich
Co.) and Ji Sun Kim (Ianrich Co.) for graphic
design, Yun Young Kim (Hongik University) and
Jin Young Oh (Seoul National University) for
sketch and visual drsign, Ji Young Jang (Seoul
Natinal University) for translation into English.
Planning the New City based on the Geomancy: A Case of the Design ofthe New Multi-functional Administrative City (NMAC)
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Correspondence: Han Suk Ock, Professor, Dept. of
Geography Education, College of Education,
Kangwon National University 200-701 Korea
(e-mail: [email protected], phone : 033-250-
6694)
교신:옥한석, 200-701 강원도 춘천시 효자동 192-1번지
강원대학교 사범대학 지리교육과 (이메일: ock@
kangwon.ac.kr, 전화:033-250-6694)
Received November 8, 2005
Accepted December 20, 2005
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