Understanding the ground conditions at Inwangsan

Axonometrics: Retaining walls in APT development, retaining walls in Inwangsan village - representing materiality, integration and hierarchy of circulation routes

As mentioned in previous blogposts, Inwangsan presents two clear distinctions of types of retaining walls. The first can found around the APT development, and the second in the village. It is important to consider the positive aspects of the village in order to understand why the retaining walls at the APT’s have such a negative impact on the streetscape. Three observations:

1 Materiality and construction of retaining walls

Apatu: Tall and long concrete walls with textured concrete surfaces. Monogamous and blank vertical screens cut of new developments from existing urban fabric. From discussions, this is a problem for developers who often employ artists to try and improve the appearance, but is this enough?

Village: Variety of materials and construction give clues about the process and order of development of the village. They give a sense of time and richness here. Materials include stone bare-faced concrete, and rendered concrete

2 Integration of retaining walls into buildings

Apatu: The buildings and walls tend to be entirely separate entities, creating a series of barriers – from road, over wall, to stark apatu facades.

Village: The walls are almost always a part of the village buildings, the use of materials give clues to where building begin and wall ends but they are very much a part of each other, as if one couldn’t exist without the other.

3 Hierarchy of circulation routes

Apatu: Main vehicular routes around the edges of the apartments are wide with narrow pathways, not inviting for pedestrians. The private streets within the residential developments are cut off from the public routes. The retaining walls cause a ’one-sidedness’ – public verses private are disconnected domains.

Village: The streets weave around following the contours of the steep hillside slope, widening and narrowing a various points. The main route up to the mountain beyond is wide with steps and a slope, secondary  smaller routes lead of this main path.