Journal of the Korean Housing Association ISSN:2234-3571(Print) 2234-2257(Online) 한국주거학회논문집

In 2007, the Special Architectural District System was introduced to enhance urban landscapes, but there were no guidelines for its implementation initially. Since 2021, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has established and enforced the Special Architectural District Operation Guidelines; however, the number of designated zones remains limited. This study aims to analyze the operation guidelines and Seoul City standards, identify issues, and propose six improvements to the operational criteria. Firstly, a continuous operational plan should be developed to ensure the continuity of the guidelines, accompanied by specific reinforcement measures for review criteria. Secondly, the integration of review processes and designation decisions related to the special Architectural District is essential to maintain consistency. Thirdly, diverse special application items are required to benefit buildings subject to these provisions. Fourthly, relaxing the standards is necessary to diversify the special application items. Fifthly, streamlining the designation change procedures for completed buildings, along with securing human and material resources, is crucial. Lastly, related laws and regulations should be amended to allow the Special Architectural District System to accompany other legal frameworks when standards are relaxed. These improvement measures aim to activate the Special Architectural District System, necessitating a solid institutional foundation, a detailed operational guideline, and distinct regional standards to ensure an effective implementation of the system.