Industrialization and urbanization has made the railway station and its surrounding areas function as regional centers, where communication between one city and another occurs. Revitalization of these railway station areas can distribute roles current...
Industrialization and urbanization has made the railway station and its surrounding areas function as regional centers, where communication between one city and another occurs. Revitalization of these railway station areas can distribute roles currently played by urban centers and foster overall regional development, which is crucial as the engine for further urban growth. Thus, railway stations do not just simply exist as nodes of railway traffic but also can serve many different functions within a city. Furthermore, development of these areas can increase commercial, business, and residential roles of a city, making it more attractive for potential visitors, and can solve problems caused by urbanization, such as the block severance phenomenon.
The revitalization of railway station areas can be viewed as modernization of urban spaces and creation of new hubs, instead of simply development of areas immediately surrounding a railway station. As the city is developed around the railways, the railway station, which is developed for combined use in conjunction with nearby areas, is transformed from a mere center of transportation to a center of trade. There are many examples of such successful development cases centered on railways, such as in Tokyo and Osaka.
In this study, we have reviewed the examples of urban revitalization centered on railway station areas in Japan and proposed a sustainable approach to do the same in Korea.
We analyzed the relevant laws and regulations in Japan regarding urban revitalization and studied cases, where (1) large commercial centers were developed inside the railway station, (2) areas surrounding the railway station have been redeveloped, and (3) both railway station and the nearby areas were developed in conjunction with each other, to find out ways to make urban revitalization in Korea more viable and sustainable.
In the analysis of railway station area development in Japan, several pertinent points can be drawn for sustainable urban revitalization. First, revitalization of the railway station area needs the full support and involvement of the government, the country, and the railways operator, and all three parties involved need to be clear and consistent about their roles. The transportation methods have to be organized in a way to allow transfers across multiple systems, and there needs to be a development plan that organically links the railway station to regional cultural areas to maximize revitalization. In addition, establishment of third-sector organizations or recruitment of private capital needs to be considered, to increase public interest and overall efficiency.
Second, laws and regulations have to be adjusted to enable various types of business. The amendment of “Law on the Development and Use of Railway Station Areas” and easing of relevant regulations, such as the regulation on floor area ratio, will encourage complex and three-dimensional development plans.
Third, although laws, such as “Law on Railway Construction”, “Law on Method of Railway Construction”, “Law on Urban Area Railways”, provide some basis for revitalization of railway station areas, neither the specific methods and procedures necessary nor the relationship between urban redevelopment and the railway station are clearly defined. This leads to problems for an interested entity to draft development plans that entails both railways and their surrounding areas. Therefore, changes needs to be made so that a single entity can plan and execute the entirety of such projects, from the initial plans involving establishment of necessary infrastructure to management and support post-construction.
Fourth, it is necessary for all revitalization plans to proceed organically with the master development plan of the city itself, so that any development plan can actively handle any changes in demands in the future.
The Incheon Station area was approved as a minimal regulation development zone in July 2016, becoming the first area in the metropolitan Seoul where regulations on floor area ratio and building-to-land ratio were eased, allowing for complex development plans involving the entire railway station area to proceed. In the future, as many railway station areas need to be revitalized, it is necessary to continue research on more efficient and systematic methods for revitalization of the railway station areas.