• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.71-82
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• 2019

This study tried to prove why a low-rise residential block is more vitalized than in a superblock consisted of an apartment housing complex. To do this, two adjacent superblocks in Yeoksam 2-dong were selected as a case study among superblocks of residential area in Gangnam, Seoul. It adopted the concept of 'complexity', 'Osmosis', 'Vitality' and 'Permeability' for evaluation indexes to measure street vitality. As a result, four indexes were clearly higher in low-density residential superblocks than apartment housing complex superblocks. First, the superblocks for apartment housing complexes showed a lower 'complexity' because large-scale parcels for an apartment housing complex reduces a possibility for various land uses. Second, smaller blocks improved "osmosis" compared to larger blocks, and the larger the block, the less likely it is that buildings and streets penetrate activity. Third, as the apartment complex block became larger, the number of accesses decreased. Thus, it did not provide vitality to the streets. Fourth, high permeability was shown in the low-density superblocks, while that of the superblock consisted of apartment housing complexes was very low because the entrance of the complexes entrance is closed to the public. The results of this study demonstrated that an apartment housing complex may hamper street vitality and deteriorate the quality of urban environments.