Thirteenth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Opened in 2005, the Cheonggyecheon Stream Restoration Project transformed a once dilapidated business district into a modern public urban space in the heart of Seoul. Sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and spanning nearly 6km, the Cheonggyecheon Stream Project was created not only to beautify the area, but to encourage economic growth, provide flood protection, contribute to the city’s walkability, and address environmental concerns in a predominantly industrial area. Though the Project garnered its fair share of criticism at its inception, over a decade later, it is routinely hailed as an example of a successful urban renewal project, serving as a model for various large-scale urban regeneration initiatives across the globe. Because of its many facets, the Cheonggyecheon Stream Project has been analyzed in terms of its environmental, economic, social, and political value. Using the content analysis research method, this study takes data from major media outlets across four global capitals to understand whether or not the focus of the Cheonggyecheon discourse differed across each of the cities, and, if so, how each city’s reception of the Cheonggyecheon reflects its own urban priorities. The resulting analysis of this study asserts that while globalization contributes to the spread of general urban design theories, the results of this study asserts that urban design concepts, once spread across borders, become localized once again. This phenomenon is a part of a larger conversation about how and why certain urban design decisions are made and sustained in various cities across the world.