▶ View
Pae Jeong Han, Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Rural Systems Engineering and Hong Jin Ho, Professor in the Department of German Language and Literature
Changes in technologies and institutions, in addition to the advent of new tools, disrupt the ways by which people perceive the world and lead their lives. Along with Pae Jeong Han, professor at the Department of Landscape Architecture and Rural Systems Engineering, and Hong Jin Ho, professor at the Department of German Language and Literature, we explored the questions that these educators have encountered in delving into the structure of cities and life, as well as the relationship between humans and nature.
Professors Pae and Hong define “shift” as the reorganization of worldview and order.
By this definition, science and technology reshape attitudes and judgment criteria.
Professor HongAmong various German words related to the idea of “shift” at the turn of the century, a commonly used term is Wende, which originated from wenden, a verb meaning “to turn around.” In this respect, a historical “shift” or turning point is Zeitenwende, which combines Zeit (“time”) and Wende. Rather than a mere overlap in two eras, this word applies to a certain period when a worldview and social order undergo fundamental change, as in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and German reunification. In German language, this word is such a grave term.
Professor PaeThe weight of the word is the same from the perspective of landscape and urban design. As the Industrial Revolution occurred, driven by advances in science and technology, factories were built across cities, resulting in a concentration of populations, while the development of infrastructure like roads and water and sewer systems fell behind. Cities plunged into chaos, and citizens urgently needed space to breathe. One of the solutions to such urban problems was parks.
Professor HongAs Professor Pae said, advancements in science and technology have produced massive changes in human life. In addition to the Industrial Revolution, Darwinism, which has challenged our perspectives on humans, is as an extension of this revolution. Since then, humans have no longer considered God-centered truths as absolute.
Professor HongYour comment prompts the current addressing of artificial intelligence (AI). Generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, have been permeating the previously unique domains of human capabilities, such as creative writing and artistic creation. The humanities traditionally have two pillars—reading and writing—currently leading in terms of revolutionary changes. Students retrieve information on YouTube rather than search engines, and they complete their assignments by using AI tools. Despite some concerns, the scalability of AI is stupefying, as shown in their presentation of related examples and materials. Ultimately, this trend urges us to seriously consider how we accept these tools and think critically.
Professor PaeIn the 1960s, Herbert Marshall McLuhan, media theorist, declared that “the medium is the message.” This phrase implies that the media, which were previously regarded as mere tools, have evolved into channels that alter the ways in which humans think and express themselves. This metamorphosis is even more prominent in urban and space design. At the time design was carried out by hand, people hardly imagined architecture with organic curves, as is the case with Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) and parametric design*, and they were unable to embody their imagination in drawing form. However, digital-based design media are creating unprecedented shapes and forms. Shifting technologies are affecting the architectures, landscapes, and structures of urban spaces.
Amidst the wave of industrialization and urbanization, public spaces, including parks and roads,
have become openings across urban areas, settling as paradoxical places that belong to no one, yet can be freely enjoyed by all.
Professor PaeThe history of parks is not as old as one can imagine. Parks, specifically public parks are an invention arising in modern urban areas beginning in England in the 1830s to 1840s before blossoming in the United States in the 1850s. As cities expanded and became more crowded due to industrialization, a need for spatial relief and shared leisure spaces emerged. Sociologists claim that parks and libraries constitute social infrastructure for contemporary cities. Parks are the most paradoxical places in capitalist cities. These loci are open spaces for gathering and solidarity for anyone despite the absence of ownership.
Professor HongA population explosion in Berlin due to the Industrial Revolution once led to a serious housing issue for workers, in which 18 people lived together in a room. At that time, numerous parks might have been created maybe because few places were available for ordinary citizens to go and play on holidays. Satellite pictures show that Berlin is currently a complex mixture of houses, green spaces and commercial buildings. Nature scattered throughout the city is accessible to people, which facilitates the recovery of work-life balance. On the contrary, the boundaries between green space and housing are fairly distinct in South Korea.
Professor PaeThis means that a city is initially planned by dividing land into residential areas, commercial areas, industrial regions, educational facilities, and parks and green spaces. The fundamental principle of modern urban planning is zoning or land use zoning. Zoning-based, automobile-dense cities, such as Seoul, presuppose the mechanical nature of urban development. By contrast, Paris’s vision for the 15-Minute City, which has recently gained attention, is an attempt at dismantling exclusionary zoning. This strategy intends to allow people to meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute walk. The concept is to blur the distinction between land use zones to realize the flexible use of urban spaces.
Professor HongSuch attempt to soften boundaries is an adequate approach. Although I am fond of Seoul, I constantly feel a sense of regret when I walk with my dog. Walking along the side streets of apartment complexes or commercial buildings is “passage” rather than walking. In contrast, when a person in Berlin goes outside with their dog, they immediately encounter green spaces. The harmonious conjunction of man-made structures and nature offers a pleasant environment.
As assorted elements, including technologies and institutions, increasingly intermingle, we should focus on fundamental questions.
The future will arise from the process and attitude of seeking answers.
Professor HongDiverse geniuses emerged. In Germany, at the turn of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Thomas Mann, who followed traditional narrative structures, and Franz Kafka, who produced experimental works, were contemporary writers attracting significant attention. Geniuses, who may live in any era, have a stronger presence during a tumultuous period. They tend to be deeply sensitive to signs that ordinary people might recognize decades later. This turn of the century merited being called the Age of Geniuses.
Professor PaeA verse of the poem Flowers Bloom at Every Border by Ham Min-Bok comes to mind. The period of puberty, a time of pain and confusion, becomes an epiphany that triggers the growth of humans with the most beautiful imagination. A similar experience is undergone by the ecosystem. Ecotones, where heterogeneous environments, such as tidal flats or creeks, meet host a diverse range of life forms. Despite its apparent stability, this region is rich and dynamic. In this respect, shift and boundary can serve as paired words because two different worlds mutually permeate spaces and create something new.
Professor HongWe are undergoing a time when the traditional distinctions between human and non-human entities, nature and technology, are rapidly crumbling. Rather than accepting this shift as a crisis or innovation, why don’t we view these complexities as they are? A balanced approach should prevail over snap judgment.
Professor PaeHumans are beings who spend time in spaces, yet they neglect the places where they reside, unlike eating and wearing clothing. The urban space in a capitalist society is becoming gradually polarized, but no one who suffers inconvenience has sufficient time to tackle the issues. Fortunately, there have been lively discussions on matters of space and place in the humanities and social sciences over recent years. People should raise more pertinent questions concerning the spaces that we inhabit and keenly seek answers. In this vein, spatial literacy should be nurtured.
A person who “walks urban areas and reads parks,” Professor Pae has investigated and taught environmental aesthetics, landscape architecture theory and criticism, and the history of western landscape architecture at the Department of Landscape Architecture and Rural Systems Engineering. He has expanded the intersection of theory and practice while participating in the planning of Yongsan Park, the Central Park of the Multifunctional Administrative City, and Gwanggyo Lake Park. He has also published books, including Hospitality in Parks and Theory and Critical Practice in Contemporary Landscape Architecture.
A man who “has had a fateful encounter with German literature,” Professor Hong has explored and instructed students on the literature and culture of German-speaking regions at the turn of the century as well as the German performing arts at the Department of German Language and Literature. With the belief that literature is a window to the world, he has consistently devoted himself to connecting academia and the public, further publishing books, including If Classics Are So Fascinating and The Birth of a Desiring Human.
