21st Century (2000–present)
Seoul 2030 Plan
Core idea
Human-scale, polycentric metropolis
Why it matters
Shift from road-building to people-first
Description
Seoul's 2030 Plan (2014) was the city's first master plan shaped with substantial citizen participation, setting a polycentric structure of multiple centres, balanced development, improved welfare and transit, and quality-of-life goals across the metropolis.
Significance
The Seoul 2030 Plan marks a shift toward participatory, polycentric metropolitan planning in one of the world's great megacities, balancing growth with livability and citizen voice.
What shaped it
- The compact city (1973-1990s)
- The Image of the City (1960)
- Transit-oriented development (TOD) (1993)
Sources
- https://www.seoulsolution.kr/en/content/2030-seoul-plan
- https://www.slideshare.net/MichaelJacinto1/seoul-2030-plan
hub.toekom.st — History of Urbanism · an interactive timeline of 850 planned cities across 6,000 years.