‘Reurbanist’ launches grassroots “Seoul Plaza Proposal”

A computer graphic view of space in front of Seoul Plaza / REURBANIST PHOTO

Seoul, South Korea – October 1, 2014 – Reurbanist, an urban planning and retail development consultancy, has launched a grassroots place-making campaign, Seoul Plaza Proposal, in a bid to help Seoul citizens determine the future of Seoul Plaza. The plaza is a large, underutilized public space adjacent to the Seoul metropolitan library and city hall.

Raymond Chetti, the firm’s project manager in charge of initiatives in Seoul and Asia Pacific, said: “Our aim is to give Seoul citizens the opportunity to interact, provide feedback, and communicate with others in a fun and interactive method. We saw MindMixer as the best, multi-language platform that was capable of bringing Seoul citizens together for this project.”

According to Mr. Chetti, nobody else in Seoul has ever undertaken a similar grassroots, “bottom-up” approach to an urban planning or real estate development project as traditionally age, seniority, and profession have typically taken priority over the integration of advanced tools and models of citizen participation, engagement, and involvement.

“Sure, Lee Myung-bak gave Seoul, Cheonggyecheon, but that was a whole other type of public space” says Raymond. “I’m not looking to bring another High Line or something like that, I’m thinking more along the lines of Seoul’s own version of NYC’s Bryant Park or Philadelphia’s The Porch/Dilworth Plaza.”

Due to the grassroots nature of the project, the firm recently launched a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo to raise US$750 for the integration and implementation of the MindMixer platform for their Seoul Plaza Proposal [Indiegogo Campaign: Reurbanist’s Seoul Plaza Proposal needs Mindmixer!].

Mr. Chetti feels that the company’s decision to accept donations in the form of US$5, US$20, US$50, US$100, US$250, and US$500 is strategic as it allows for anyone to contribute, friends, family members, or possibly even small businesses of hoping to market themselves to Seoul citizens.

“Benefits for sponsoring our campaign include direct advertising on the Seoul Plaza Proposal website and social networks for anywhere from several months to a year, however long the project goes for. Our plan is to market the project to as many Seoul citizens as possible by reaching out to the several hundred businesses that are located in proximity of Seoul Plaza in addition to the local dong/gu district and community offices located within the area.”

The company’s Indiegogo campaign will close on October 28, 2014 (11:59pm PT).