2024 Skyscraper Competition
Honorable Mention

Lee Sang-min, Baek Changheon, Kim Yong Hee, Jung Chang Gyun, Kang Somang, Jo Youngjae, Seo Chaebin
South Korea

Background
Currently, the birth rate of the Republic of Korea has plummeted with rapid economic development since the 1960s. This is the result of a combination of social and cultural factors as well as economic factors. In fact, Korea’s total fertility rate reached 0.78 percent in 2022, the first OECD member to reach 0 percent range, less than half of the OECD average, indicating the seriousness of the low birth rate problem in Korea. As such, the low birth rate problem in Korea is one of the major social problems that raises concerns about the current population structure and future social and economic stability.

The causes of these problems can be seen socially, time, and physically, but time and physical problems can be seen based on social problems.
Currently, if you look at Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi-do, there are many business facilities in Seoul, and the residential area per person in Seoul is very small, about 30㎡. Most of the population lives in the outer Seoul area and goes to and from Seoul using private and public transportation. It takes about twice as long to commute from here as 58 minutes each way compared to major OECD countries, but these commuting conditions reduce the quality of life, which can only take more than an hour at real distance due to poor transportation infrastructure and huge usage population. In other words, the distance in time is greater than the physical distance. Therefore, the residential environment centered on large cities found in Korea not only causes gentrification due to high cost and congestion, but also acts as a factor that makes marriage and childbirth hesitant.

The population that must take care of their children here has no choice but to consider childcare services even in the difficult situations mentioned above. There is still insufficient support for daycare centers and childcare facilities, parental leave, and flexible employment in Korea. According to statistics from the Korea Institute of Health and Social Studies, the utilization rate of childcare facilities is steadily increasing, but children are still on the waiting list for childcare facilities. In addition, there are insufficient spatial conditions to become independent in the process of entering society from student status. In fact, while new members of society in Korea want private households, there are many situations where they cannot meet them.

Even in this situation, childcare is required, so most of them replace childcare services through grandparents. However, if even grandparents cannot help, they will experience financial burdens and lack of time to raise their children, and the quality of life will gradually decrease, resulting in changes in values that naturally delay marriage and childbirth. As a result, the aging population may accelerate, leading to serious situations that could experience not only population decline but also economic and cultural effects.

The low birth rate problem can lead to the end of mankind, and it is a problem that the whole world should pay attention to and solve beyond one country in the future. In other words, policies on society and culture on the declining birthrate are also important, but I think it is necessary to move to solve them through an architectural approach that can create a “space” that directly leads to human life.

Process
The “Vertical Mega region” is proposed in an environment where people gather in the Seoul metropolitan area and various regions have declined.
Currently, most urban structures are placed horizontally within the designated site structures. Here, we believe that “horizontal urban structure” causes physical and time problems such as lack of space and traffic congestion. Therefore, we propose a new space to live in a more comfortable environment based on a vertical urban structure.

“Vertical Mega region” mitigates gentrification phenomena and contributes to the development of various regions. Here, “Mega region” refers to an urban network in which transportation-logistics infrastructure is shared, economic and industrial links are close, and people and capital are accumulated.

It provides a comfortable environment through the care system in the center so that parents and children can grow up in a convenient infrastructure space. The outer shell of the care system is made of a ‘flexible display’ and transmits information such as temperature, humidity, and air flow rate inside as well as prevents pollution from entering the outside. In addition, the air purification system introduces comfortable air into the outer shell.
The top floor is equipped with internal air purification facilities. The ceiling is made of cloth, which shows whether the internal air circulation is running smoothly. The air exiting from here becomes wind and is recycled as a wind energy source and allows the air purification system to run permanently.
The interior becomes a space where children can experience various cultural programs and visit their dreams as well as educational programs tailored to local characteristics until they turn 20.

At the end of the wing, a personal space is provided for those who advance into society, and this space becomes a “modular capsule.” This capsule is placed in one ring and can be used as a means of transportation within a limited path. Here, the rings gradually descend and climb back into a circular space that is circulated every 10 years so that people in their 20s and 30s can use it to help them enter society.

Design Process
The fruit of Garden Balsam inspired the process of people entering society by placing the design in a degraded area to help people’s life cycle. The fruit of Garden Balsam is structured in which the seeds are usually held, and the seeds spread as the seeds ripen. This form is like the social structure. It acts as a system in which first-timers flow in, people and cities grow together, and then individuals are discharged below it.

The flexible display surrounding the building is usually wrapped in a bud shape and then gradually unfolded at a fixed cycle. At this time, it encounters the ‘transportation infrastructure system’ in the form of leaves placed on the ground and functions as a passage to enter society through this system. In addition, the ‘flexible display’ can block sunlight in a specific space as needed and functions as a ‘screen’ to maintain the protection function from the outside and the pleasant environment inside.

This bud-shaped ‘ protective film’ is held during a special period, and the wide ‘inner square’ made at this time is used for various programs. On the contrary, the ‘ protective film’ is usually folded and the ‘inner square’ becomes a wide ‘outdoor space’ that can be enjoyed from the outside, suggesting a new space for more active and social life.

Conclusion
The “Vertical mega region” is a project that can solve the problem of low birth rate and regional degeneration. The “Vertical mega region” is established in a provincial area, not a large city, and supports people to live comfortably in a wider space. It shows the direction to alleviate the dense urban environment, reduce the number of talented people fleeing the provinces, and save the area by establishing several “Vertical mega region” in the decimated area. I think that the era will come when not only the capital of a country, but also various regions can be developed and cultural and social diversity can be embraced.