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Barcelona Superblocks and 50 Micro Seoul: Pioneering Hyper-Local Models for Urban Liveability
Learn more about how the Seoul Institute (SI) and the Center for Innovation in Transport (CENIT) explore innovative approaches to urban planning through hyper-local models.
Last updated 3 March 2025
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Lecture details
Barcelona Superblocks and 50 Micro Seoul: Pioneering Hyper-Local Models for Urban Liveability
24 Oct 2024
3.00 pm – 5.00 pm.
MND Auditorium, MND Annex A, 5 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069110
2 SILA Pts, 2 SIP Pts, 2 BOA-SIA Pts
The following lecture has ended.
Lecture Video
Synopsis
Join us for a sharing by the Seoul Institute (SI) and the Center for Innovation in Transport (CENIT) as they explore innovative approaches to urban planning through hyper-local models. This lecture will focus on Seoul’s Micro Seoul project and Barcelona’s Superblock initiative, examining how these models are implemented and their impact on urban liveability. Through these case studies, we aim to explore diverse approaches to sustainable urban development, offering insights that could shape innovative city planning strategies. This will be followed by a moderated Q&A session.
Plan for Developing 50 Micro Seoul: A Strategy for Seoul Next 100 Years
Seoul is undertaking a long-term project to prepare for the next 100 years. To address the unprecedented challenges of a distant future, this initiative aims to transcend the boundaries of time and space, and go beyond institutional and budgetary constraints. The core agenda of this project focuses on the development of “Micro Seoul”—compact, self-sufficient communities where daily life can be conducted on foot.
The presentation will discuss the specific concepts and functions of Micro Seoul as outlined in the 2040 Seoul Plan and use concrete case studies to explore how these microcities could be structured, how self-sufficiency will be maintained, their feasibility, and the potential impact.
Urban Planning, Mobility, and Liveable Cities. The case of the Superblock of Barcelona
One of the main vectors for achieving more liveable cities and a better quality of life is to reduce the number of cars. They are responsible for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, occupy a significant proportion of urban space, and cause accidents, among other negative effects. Traditionally, mobility tools have been used, such as promoting public transport or urban tolls, but they have not solved the situation. Another approach that has been used in recent years is using the framework of urban planning and urban space, such as in the case of the superblocks in Barcelona.
The presentation will focus on the superblock concept, the main effects on mobility, and other parameters that affect the welfare of citizens. In addition, the presentation will include other initiatives of the city of Barcelona to improve the quality of life in the city.
About the Speakers
SPEAKER
Dr Inhee Kim
Senior Research Fellow & Head of the 100 Year Urban Research Team,
Division of Urban Planning and Design Research
Dr Inhee Kim is a senior researcher at the Seoul Institute. He received his doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning from the Technical University of Berlin in Germany in 2003 and has been working at the Seoul Institute since 2004. His main research areas include urban planning and development, residential renewal projects, metropolitan development plans, and participatory planning. His most recent projects include the 2030 & 2040 Seoul Master Plans and the 2050 Seoul Grand Plan. Currently, he is leading the ‘Seoul Next 100 Years: Vision and Spatial Planning Strategy’ research project.
SPEAKER
Dr Sergi Sauri
Director of CENIT at CIMNE,
Associate Professor at UPC-BarcelonaTech
Dr. Sergi Sauri has been the Director of the Centre for Transport Innovation-CENIT since 2013, an innovation unit of CIMNE. He is an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the UPC-BarcelonaTech, teaching Economics at the School of Civil Engineering.
He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the UPC, a degree in Economics from the University of Barcelona, and a Master in Maritime Law and Business and Port Management by the UPC. His doctoral thesis was awarded the IV Prize of the Abertis Chair of Infrastructure Management.
His also serves as the President of the Ibero-American Network of Universities of Mobility and Territory (RUITEM), Academic Coordinator of the Postgraduate in Smart City and Mobility Management at UPC, Director of the Master in Logistics, Transport and Mobility at UPC from 2013 to 2016, and Lecturer (part-time) at Tecnocampus, Pompeu Fabra University from 2016 to 2023. Dr. Sauri was a visiting scholar at MIT in 2008 and served as a member of the Governing Board of the College of Civil Engineers of Catalonia from 2014 to 2022. Previously, he worked as a project manager at SENER, Ingeniería y Sistemas, S.A. in transport planning and economics.
Throughout his career, Dr. Sauri has authored numerous scientific publications and led technology transfer projects, collaborating with multilateral entities, ministries, and the European Commission.
MODERATOR
Michael Koh
Executive Fellow
Centre for Liveable Cities
Mr Michael Koh has 25 years of experience in the public service including 7 years as CEO of the National Heritage Board and 4 years concurrently as CEO of the National Art Gallery. He was also the former Director of Urban Planning & Design at the Urban Redevelopment Authority where he spearheaded the planning and urban design of the new mixed use Downtown at Marina Bay, revitalisation of Orchard Road as a shopping street and creation of an arts and entertainment district at Bras Basah Bugis.