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legalquestions
Joined: 25 Mar 2007
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 Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 4:26 am Post subject: Korean apartments remind me of "the projects" |
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Even the newer apartments here look like "the housing projects" in the larger cities back in the USA. Know what I'm talking about? It is so depressing seeing row after row of cookie cutter boring apartment "houses" everywhere you look.
I can understand why the federal government back home built them this way (cost considerations, space considerations, poverty of the tenants, etc). But the Korean people are paying huge amounts of money for these things here. Why do they do this? Why isn't there more variation in styles? Why don't they demand more options? |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 4:29 am Post subject: |
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| i agree. the first thing my stepfather said about seoul when he visited was, "the entire city looks like co-op city on the way to nyc!" he was pretty amused when i explained that koreans often view these kinds of apartments as the most desirable. |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 4:33 am Post subject: |
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wrong thread. sorry
Last edited by definitely maybe on Wed Dec 17, 2008 4:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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milspecs
Joined: 19 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 4:38 am Post subject: |
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the older apts look like the projects.
but some of the hyperion buildings ive been look pretty damn nice. not painted that off white color most of the older apts seem to be. they also have helipads on the roof for some reason  |
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victorology
Joined: 10 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:00 am Post subject: |
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| milspecs wrote: |
the older apts look like the projects.
but some of the hyperion buildings ive been look pretty damn nice. not painted that off white color most of the older apts seem to be. they also have helipads on the roof for some reason |
The officetel I live in has a helipad on the rooftop. I've never seen it used and can't really imagine anyone using it but... it makes for a nice place to have a drink.  |
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Smee
Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:02 am Post subject: |
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A lot safer, though.
Building up not out is something folks in the US need to pick up on. Urban sprawl is a terrible waste. |
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Mint
Joined: 08 May 2008
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, all waeguks need to realize that, didn't you know the Korean BMI says you is teh fat? |
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Jandar
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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I imagine the Helipads are for medivac.
Maybe not used that way but surely a good intention.
Or maybe as a feel good fire escape gesture. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Smee wrote: |
A lot safer, though.
Building up not out is something folks in the US need to pick up on. Urban sprawl is a terrible waste. |
Yeah, they're ugly but they're sure as hell better than gratuitous Western style suburbs. It's all very economical.
Some of the new towers look pretty nice, too. The old "cookie-cutter" style prefabs don't seem to be being built anymore, they seem left over from about a decade ago. When you see new areas/blocks being built, they are always using a design that looks a lot better than the old one.
Everyone should go check out Dongtan if you want to see a "new city". I've walked there a few times. There is a Western-style villa subdivision, a law prohibiting the use of neon signs and rubber sidewalks (made from recycled tires) to put your feet at ease.
I also saw a lot of solar powered equipment in that area, like bus stop displays and streetlights.
According to this wiki, Dongtan is one of the first "ubiquitous cities" of which Korea will build 15 (check out "Songdo"). This is Korea transforming it's prefab arhitecture from economical and plain to efficient and forward thinking. I went to visit my old hagwon boss in Dongtan a few weeks ago and he had the ingenius idea of being the first person to open an English hagwon in the new residential area where no one yet lives. If he plays his cards right, he'll be a rich m-fer. |
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Crockpot2001
Joined: 01 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| Smee wrote: |
A lot safer, though.
Building up not out is something folks in the US need to pick up on. Urban sprawl is a terrible waste. |
Yeah, they're ugly but they're sure as hell better than gratuitous Western style suburbs. It's all very economical.
Some of the new towers look pretty nice, too. The old "cookie-cutter" style prefabs don't seem to be being built anymore, they seem left over from about a decade ago. When you see new areas/blocks being built, they are always using a design that looks a lot better than the old one.
Everyone should go check out Dongtan if you want to see a "new city". I've walked there a few times. There is a Western-style villa subdivision, a law prohibiting the use of neon signs and rubber sidewalks (made from recycled tires) to put your feet at ease.
I also saw a lot of solar powered equipment in that area, like bus stop displays and streetlights.
According to this wiki, Dongtan is one of the first "ubiquitous cities" of which Korea will build 15 (check out "Songdo"). This is Korea transforming it's prefab arhitecture from economical and plain to efficient and forward thinking. I went to visit my old hagwon boss in Dongtan a few weeks ago and he had the ingenius idea of being the first person to open an English hagwon in the new residential area where no one yet lives. If he plays his cards right, he'll be a rich m-fer. |
There are already lots of us living here in Songdo (fantasy island) and hagwons are all over the place. Yes, the project is f'n huge and for much of it they are trying to get LEED certification for their structures. This is why my wife and I are here.
The economy may result in people moving out here but being house poor since all they can afford is their house and no extra hagwon stuff. Hopefully for you teachers that's not the case.
Last edited by Crockpot2001 on Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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hugekebab
Joined: 05 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Jandar wrote: |
I imagine the Helipads are for medivac.
Maybe not used that way but surely a good intention.
Or maybe as a feel good fire escape gesture. |
I think 2001 reminded us about how effective helicopters are at saving people from the top of burning buildings. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Crockpot2001 wrote: |
| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| Smee wrote: |
A lot safer, though.
Building up not out is something folks in the US need to pick up on. Urban sprawl is a terrible waste. |
Yeah, they're ugly but they're sure as hell better than gratuitous Western style suburbs. It's all very economical.
Some of the new towers look pretty nice, too. The old "cookie-cutter" style prefabs don't seem to be being built anymore, they seem left over from about a decade ago. When you see new areas/blocks being built, they are always using a design that looks a lot better than the old one.
Everyone should go check out Dongtan if you want to see a "new city". I've walked there a few times. There is a Western-style villa subdivision, a law prohibiting the use of neon signs and rubber sidewalks (made from recycled tires) to put your feet at ease.
I also saw a lot of solar powered equipment in that area, like bus stop displays and streetlights.
According to this wiki, Dongtan is one of the first "ubiquitous cities" of which Korea will build 15 (check out "Songdo"). This is Korea transforming it's prefab arhitecture from economical and plain to efficient and forward thinking. I went to visit my old hagwon boss in Dongtan a few weeks ago and he had the ingenius idea of being the first person to open an English hagwon in the new residential area where no one yet lives. If he plays his cards right, he'll be a rich m-fer. |
There are already lots of us living here in Songdo (fantasy island) and hagwons are all over the place. Yes, the project is f'n huge and for much of it they are trying to get LEED certification for their structures. This is why my wife and I are here. I'll only say that it's a rough road to be green in Korea, really rough. Green is a new concept in construction here and it's hard to imbed those ideals in the labor force and with the consumers.
The two main developers, Gale and Posco, are doing a pretty good job of staying on target but the economy is hurting everyone, slowing some aspects down. The economy may also result in people moving out here but being house poor since all they can afford is their house and no extra hagwon stuff. Hopefully for you teachers that's not the case. |
Is Songdo interesting enough to visit at this point or not? I'm a huge nerd so I'd definitely like to check it out / move there at some point in the future.
Regardless of whether the economy is slowing, governments should be investing a lot in clean technologies. It might even be a way out of this economic mess. |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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I'm pretty sure the helipads are there for national defence. A lot of buildings in Seoul have been designed for roofs that are intended to support troops.
The building design that bothers me the most is the one with the slanted roofs. They look like giant barns. Fortunately they're being built with flat roofs now and look somewhat better. Still, soulless. |
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Crockpot2001
Joined: 01 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| Crockpot2001 wrote: |
| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| Smee wrote: |
A lot safer, though.
Building up not out is something folks in the US need to pick up on. Urban sprawl is a terrible waste. |
Yeah, they're ugly but they're sure as hell better than gratuitous Western style suburbs. It's all very economical.
Some of the new towers look pretty nice, too. The old "cookie-cutter" style prefabs don't seem to be being built anymore, they seem left over from about a decade ago. When you see new areas/blocks being built, they are always using a design that looks a lot better than the old one.
Everyone should go check out Dongtan if you want to see a "new city". I've walked there a few times. There is a Western-style villa subdivision, a law prohibiting the use of neon signs and rubber sidewalks (made from recycled tires) to put your feet at ease.
I also saw a lot of solar powered equipment in that area, like bus stop displays and streetlights.
According to this wiki, Dongtan is one of the first "ubiquitous cities" of which Korea will build 15 (check out "Songdo"). This is Korea transforming it's prefab arhitecture from economical and plain to efficient and forward thinking. I went to visit my old hagwon boss in Dongtan a few weeks ago and he had the ingenius idea of being the first person to open an English hagwon in the new residential area where no one yet lives. If he plays his cards right, he'll be a rich m-fer. |
There are already lots of us living here in Songdo (fantasy island) and hagwons are all over the place. Yes, the project is f'n huge and for much of it they are trying to get LEED certification for their structures. This is why my wife and I are here. I'll only say that it's a rough road to be green in Korea, really rough. Green is a new concept in construction here and it's hard to imbed those ideals in the labor force and with the consumers.
The two main developers, Gale and Posco, are doing a pretty good job of staying on target but the economy is hurting everyone, slowing some aspects down. The economy may also result in people moving out here but being house poor since all they can afford is their house and no extra hagwon stuff. Hopefully for you teachers that's not the case. |
Is Songdo interesting enough to visit at this point or not? I'm a huge nerd so I'd definitely like to check it out / move there at some point in the future.
Regardless of whether the economy is slowing, governments should be investing a lot in clean technologies. It might even be a way out of this economic mess. |
Honestly, it looks like a small slice of Bundang at this time. There are some new buildings coming up that look rather interesting, 4 main towers, and the new international school run by a division of Harvard. The rest of the stuff was built 2-4 years ago and is nothing special. Our business area is starting to look shabby, the trash piles up like everywhere else, and the food and drinks are of little variation from the rest of Korea.
But there is a reason for that, this city is ultimatly not meant so much for foreigners as for foreign investers to do business here and employ the masses of Incheon. I'd LOVE to open a real breakfast and lundh place, and I am qualified to do it. However, the lower services will be filled by Koreans. This is unfortunate to an extend because it greatly limits the appeal to Westerners when they can't get anything but Kimchi and Jiggae. Ok, there are a few other things but not much.
Really, I should be careful since I am in no way a spokesperson for the project or the city. If you want to visit I would be happy to show you around town by bicycle or car. Maybe my wife could explain a few of the things she does here. |
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NoExplode
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Cabrini Green East. |
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