Women (over) Architecture

While the recent wave of feminism is permeating wide sectors of Korean society, it is not often noted that the decisive incidents inciting women’s outrage – from hidden cameras in toilets to the murder near Gangnam Station – have all occurred in urban public spaces. These spaces, contrary to popular opinion, are far from fair and equitable. It’s not just because of a vacuum in policy or some individual deviations; it is because of deeper structural issues rooted in culture and society. To date, the weaker people in urban space have been defined by physical functions, such as the elderly, the disabled, pregnant women and children, or by the socioeconomic status, such as the poor and immigrants. Young women are not considered socially vulnerable by these standards, and therefore are not subject to separate policies. However, they comprise the highest number of victims of violent crime, and a new anxiety is now emerging as the greatest number of single-person households are those of young women. ▼1 This is ironic partly because modern cities were created by a male-centric ideology and practices. In other words, through architectural design and urban planning, the city is gendered.

Planning Principles behind Modern Cities: The Gendered Separation between Public and Private Spaces

Unlike in the medieval city, modern industrial/commercial cities have been forged in the