Tall buildings with a floor area ratio of 1800% can be established without height restrictions in the Teheran-ro area of Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The Seoul city government noted on the 13th that it modified and approved the 'Teheran-ro District Unit Plan Amendment' during the 4th Urban and Architectural Joint Committee held on the 12th.
The area is located along Teheran-ro, stretching from Gangnam Station to POSCO intersection, featuring excellent public transportation access via Seoul Metro Line 2, Shinbundang Line, GTX-A, GTX-C, and express buses, along with a wide range of living infrastructure.
This area has been upgraded to 'downtown' status in the urban master plan after the district unit plan was reorganized in 2009, establishing itself as a representative urban center of Seoul with global business and commercial functions.
In order to encourage large-scale development in this area, the Seoul city government introduced a 'Land Use Adjustment Area' system, allowing for the zoning to be elevated to the 4th 'central commercial area' in the city, following Myeongdong, Sangam-dong, and Yeouido. When applying eco-friendly, creative, and innovative designs, the floor area ratio is permitted to reach up to 1800%, and there are no separate height restrictions. Through this, the plan is to actively support the construction of prime office buildings unique to Gangnam.
Along with this, linear commercial areas along Gangnam-daero have also been designated as Land Use Adjustment Areas, allowing for a change in zoning from Type 3 General Residential Area to General Commercial Area. This aims to induce integrated development in connection with station area revitalization projects and strengthen the functions of core commercial areas.
Additionally, reflecting the restructuring of the floor area ratio system from the amended district unit plan established last year, the standard floor area ratio for general commercial areas has been adjusted from 600% to 800%, and the permitted floor area ratio has been raised from 800% to 880%. The Seoul city government expects that improved development conditions will further invigorate the downtown of Gangnam and enhance urban vitality.
The height plan improved upon the previous regulations, which were diverse and complex based on conditions. The plan was developed to achieve a floor area ratio in the commercial area while reflecting the changed regional status due to the upgrade to downtown, intending to promote creative architectural design and specialized urban scenery.
If new construction is difficult, related measures have also been prepared to improve the performance of aging buildings through remodeling of existing structures.
This district unit plan amendment will be finalized and announced after a resident review notice in the future.
Jo Nam-jun, head of the Urban Space Headquarters of the Seoul city government, said, "We will be able to secure new growth momentum for Teheran-ro by stepping outside the framework of regulations," and expressed hope that this would enhance the vitality of the downtown area of Gangnam and elevate its global competitiveness.