PyungHwa Arcades Renovation

Revitalizing a 700-Meter Commercial Strip Through Continuous Public Arcades​
Location: Dongdaemun–Jongno, Seoul
Type: Academic Project
Year: 2014
Advisors: Prof. Fabio Dacarro, Prof. Jaewoo Lee
A renovation strategy for the historic PyungHwa Market, a 700-meter-long commercial strip adjacent to Dongdaemun and Jongno. Despite its central location, the market suffers from visual monotony, fragmented circulation, and strong resistance to renovation from over a thousand tenants. This project proposes a minimal-intervention approach that creates a continuous public arcade, enhancing walkability while respecting existing businesses.

Context & Urban Relationship

Although Jongno and Dongdaemun are within walking distance, PyungHwa Market is perceived as a disconnected zone. The project reconnects these urban nodes by establishing a linear pedestrian experience tied to the Cheonggyecheon riverfront.

Renovation Strategy (Key Concept)

The strategy shifts only a minimum portion of each existing building to carve out a continuous sheltered walkway. This lightweight intervention preserves shop interiors while generating new public space, a compromise that respects tenant concerns and improves spatial quality.

Section Development

The redesigned section integrates vertical circulation, daylight openings, and visual porosity, allowing views into shops and toward the river. The arcade becomes a transitional zone between the enclosed market and the open public path along Cheonggyecheon.

Ground Plan