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Term
Nov 2022 - Mar 2023
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Client
Cheongyecheon Anti-Gentrification Alliance
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Work Scope
- Website Design
- Web Development
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Team
- 2 Project Manager
- 7 Data Collector
- 1 Designer
- 2 Developer
Preserving memory in a disappearing neighborhood
I participated in and designed the 54th Online Hanpyeong Park Project organized by Urbanactionnetwork — a civic organization dedicated to preserving urban history and fostering human-centered cities. The project focused on Ipjeong-dong, a historic manufacturing district where skilled craftsmen and creative communities have long coexisted. As redevelopment threatens to dismantle this industrial and cultural ecosystem, the project created a digital archive to remember what is being lost and preserve the neighborhood’s collective memory.
Project Background
Uncontrolled redevelopment and the loss of urban identity
In Korea, overheated real estate speculation has fueled widespread redevelopment across Seoul, often prioritizing profit over thoughtful urban planning. Ipjeong-dong, once a historically significant district rich in industrial, technical, and cultural value, has been targeted for redevelopment that disregards its existing character — replacing its unique urban fabric with generic commercial zones.
Project Goal
Building a digital archive to preserve urban memory
The goal was to create an online archive that preserves the historical and cultural traces of Ipjeong-dong — documenting the tools, streetscapes, spaces, and signage that embody the area’s industrial past. The project focuses on remembering what once existed, ensuring that the neighborhood’s history and identity remain accessible even after its physical disappearance.
Visual Conecpt
Visualizing collective intelligence through organic motion
The main visual depicts clusters of moving dots that continuously shift shape, representing the organic network of craftsmen in Ipjeong-dong. This motion embodies the spirit of collective intelligence — a community where people share skills, exchange help, and collaborate to solve complex tasks. Through this dynamic form and fluid animation, the website’s opening scene conveys the neighborhood’s cooperative energy and interconnected way of working.
Interface Concept
Bringing analog gestures into a digital archive
The GNB menu takes inspiration from pulling out physical files, translating the tactile memory of analog archiving into the digital space. Its structure and typography reference Ipjeong-dong’s layered signage — where visual chaos forms its own order. The typeface Cy reinforces this mood with its irregular balance of straight and curved strokes, reflecting the district’s eclectic urban rhythm.
Archive Interface
Designing intuitive access to industrial heritage
Each tab was designed with a layout and interaction style tailored to its content type — from documents and images to videos and interviews. This structure allows users to explore Ipjeong-dong’s industrial heritage through an intuitive, media-specific experience. By combining digital browsing with the spirit of physical exploration, the archive transforms viewing into active discovery.