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Busan Launches 2025 Special Architectural District Activation Project to Accelerate Creative Innovation in Urban Design

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced the launch of the “2025 Special Architectural District Activation Project” to encourage creative design and enhance urban competitiveness.

The goal of this open call is to identify and support innovative projects that can contribute to architectural distinctiveness and elevate Busan’s urban identity. For 2025, the City will first select eligible project sites, then hold an international invited competition to attract world-class design proposals.

Through this initiative, Busan aims to transform its cityscape by fostering the construction of creative and distinctive buildings across the city.

Eligibility and Requirements

The competition is open to proposals for sites throughout Busan. Applicants must meet all specified criteria:

• Joint application with an architectural coordinator (a registered architect based in Busan or partnered with one)
• Proof of land use rights for the proposed site
• Ability to begin construction within five years after designation as a Special Architectural District

Proposed sites and building projects must comply with the requirements outlined in Article 69 of the Building Act concerning special architectural districts.

Selection and Review Process

In June, the “Future Architecture Innovation Committee” will review submissions, evaluating factors such as location suitability, development concept, public value, and the proposed application of architectural exceptions. The committee is chaired by the City’s Chief Architect and includes internal and external experts in urban planning and architecture.

Following the selection of project sites, Busan will launch an international invited design competition. Submissions will be evaluated based on originality, aesthetic value, public benefit, environmental sustainability, and contextual harmony with the surrounding area.

This process will be conducted as a limited invited competition based on a prior "nomination application" phase, in which qualified architects (including international architects working independently or in partnership with Korean firms) are nominated to participate. Full details will be provided in a design brief scheduled for release in August.

Special District Benefits
Designated Special Architectural Districts will be eligible for various regulatory exemptions and administrative support, including:

• Relaxation of legal limits on building coverage ratio, floor area ratio (up to 1.2 times the legal maximum under the National Land Planning and Utilization Act), and building height
• Exemptions from provisions of the Building Act, including:
– Article 42 (landscaping requirements)
– Article 55 (building coverage)
– Article 56 (floor area ratio)
– Article 58 (site setbacks)
– Article 60 (height restrictions)
– Article 61 (sunlight and daylight access)

All exemptions will be finalized through deliberation by the Urban Architecture Joint Committee and the Building Committee.

Application Process

Public notice and details are available on the City’s website (www.busan.go.kr/nbgosi) and the Busan International Architecture Festival website (www.biacf.org > News > Notices).

Applications must be submitted online via the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s "Document 24" system (docu.gdoc.go.kr) between 9:00 a.m. on May 19 and 6:00 p.m. on May 20, 2025.

The city has simplified the application process to reduce the burden on participants and will offer detailed guidance to support applicant understanding and participation.

For inquiries, contact the City’s Architecture Policy Division at ☎ +82-51-888-4362.

Pilot Projects from 2024

Last year’s pilot projects—“Nampo Harbor Town” and “Yeongdo Collective Hills”—were officially designated as Special Architectural Districts on April 2, 2025, following a review by the Building Committee on March 18.

• Nampo Harbor Town: Designed by MVRDV + Junglim Architecture and DIA Architecture
– 6 basement levels / 45 above-ground floors
– Mixed-use: residential, hospitality, commercial

• Yeongdo Collective Hills: Designed by MVRDV + Reuldorang Architects
– 1 basement level / 3 above-ground floors
– Uses: tourism, accommodation, neighborhood facilities

Ha Sung-tae, Director-General of the Housing & Architecture Bureau, stated:
“Through the Special Architectural District system, we aim to ease uniform regulations and support projects that balance innovation, aesthetics, and public value. We hope this competition will lead not only to new buildings but also to urban transformation through creative design.”

He added, “We are committed to revitalizing the local architectural scene and making innovative architecture a key element of Busan’s appeal.”