publications

ABOUT STREETS, SPRINGER, FORTHCOMING

Edited By Gregory Marinic, Forthcoming
Cultural Intersections, Ji Young Kim

Edited By Gregory Marinic, 2024
The Interior Urbanism Theory Reader expands our understanding of urbanism, interiority, and publicness from a global perspective across time and cultures. From ancient origins to speculative futures, this book explores the rich complexities of interior urbanism as an interstitial socio-spatial condition. Employing an interdisciplinary lens, it examines the intersectional characteristics that define interior urbanism. Fifty chapters investigate the topic in relation to architecture, planning, urban design, interior architecture, interior design, archaeology, engineering, sociology, psychology, and geography. Individual essays reveal the historical, typological, and morphological origins of interior urbanism, as well as its diverse scales, occupancies, and atmospheres. The Interior Urbanism Theory Reader will appeal to scholars, practitioners, students, and enthusiasts of urbanism, architecture, planning, interiors, and the social sciences.

Seoul, Underground City, Ji Young Kim

During the last several decades, subways have enabled widespread, yet unique, commercial, cultural, and social discourse in Seoul by extending the public realm towards underground. Subways and adjoined developments are evolving and facilitating changes by engaging with spatial advances.

Since the first underground railway opened in London in 1863, subway has been a symbol of modernity and technological achievement. Chicago started its first subway service in 1892, a year before the World’s Columbian Exposition, and Paris opened its metro line in 1900 during the World’s Fair (the Exposition Universelle). As the fairs highlighted monumental and innovative developments in art, architecture, and technologies, the advent of a subway system marked the height of cities’ achievements.

In Korea, the rail industry also played a critical role in the country’s industrial development and economic growth. History of the Korean rail industry began with rail construction for political purposes when the nation was under Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945). Then, railways were considerably damaged by the Korean War (1950-1953). Nevertheless, railway and subway development played a significant part in post-war recovery efforts to revive the country’s economy. Seoul’s subway Line 1 opened in 1974, twenty-one years after the truce was signed, with through service joining Korail’s (Korean Railroad Corporation) intercity railway lines. A year earlier, North Korea’s Pyongyang Metro Chollima Line had started its service. North and South Korea were competing over technological advances and economic growth after the truce; therefore, transportation infrastructure had a patriotic role that would extend throughout the span of Korean industrial development.

Historically, interior space of the subway station was used as more than just a transportation hub. During World War II, some underground stations in London were used as bomb shelters, while others served as underground aircraft component factories. In Seoul, stations are also designed to be used as shelters. In addition to emergency uses, the integration of multiple everyday functions between the need for public transportation and space required for economic, cultural and social exchange for urban life were important in Seoul’s modern subway infrastructure development.