Check out the artist renderings of 8City, the massive, US$275 billion tourism city that may be going up in Incheon:
Called 8City, to be built on the islands of Yongyu-Muui in the port city of Incheon, next to Incheon International Airport, the project in question is the creation of a gigantic ‘tourism city.’
Plans for the city include travel and leisure facilities from luxury hotels, condominiums, casinos and shopping malls to a theme park, a water park, a Formula One racing track, a 50,000-seat concert hall, a medical tourism-based “healing town” and a “hallyu town” showcasing Korean entertainment.
An all in one tourism destination that visitors won’t want to leave. But not just any visitor.
The project aims firmly at the massive and growing market of mainland Chinese tourists.
One of the major landmarks here is the Megastrip, which “at 200 meters high, 880 meters wide and 3.3 kilometers long will be the world’s largest single architectural unit.”
And when they say “unit,” they do mean unit.
Anyway, here’s a map of the place:
As a guy who a) likes Incheon, and b) gets a raging Megastrip for interesting architecture, I really hope this gets built. Not really sure I should, though—in the long run, this “build it and they will come” approach can’t be a healthy thing.
On a related note, Korea might get a record 10 million visitors this year.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Imagine the influx of foreigners to help run this project too, given the amount of domestic workers available. The really interesting part is going to be in how the infrastructure is put together and who does it. This is where so many deals will be made.
The renderings are beautiful except for that one not-so-minor oversight.
Also, Robert, double check your title.
As someone who visited those islands before there was an Incheon Airport, I find the whole thing more than a little sad.
it seems raising the money for it is harder than it seemed.
they haven’t even raised half the money needed to buy the land.
Why is there a big giant glass penis linking those two circular cities?
Any ways, this thing, if it is ever built, will be built for the Chinese. I was in Incheon airport last week. It was choked full of Chinese people. As time goes on… they are only gonna get richer. Asia needs more places to liberate them from their hard earned RMB…
Hopefully Songdo City pick up where they’re supposed to be by now. It’s been an example that the old “build them and they will come” doesn’t work as well as they used to. Now that part of the IMF office is located there, things may pick up.
Not just the title, numberoneoppa. First paragraph under the map has “built” as well. It’s ok though; my autocorrect has provided me with a couple of truly embarrassing sent texts.
The renderings look much like the renderings of “New Seoul”–the underwater one–in “Cloud Atlas.”
Also, I haven’t been there, but how affected is that area by Incheon’s famous tides? Wouldn’t it be mud half the time?
They just dump on it until its about 7-10m higher, same as Songdo.
@7, tidal change won’t really be an issue. Projects like this one, as well as Incheon’s Songdo and Cheongla projects, involve involve large-scale land reclamation. In essence, they propose to raise this well above the tidal high-water mark.
I’m pretty bullish on the long-term prospects for Songdo, but I also know that this development has a real challenge put to it, in order for its success: getting people to change their existing perspectives on where to live, work and play, and embrace a new one in the short-term. 8City, due to its scale, will require that same rapid change, but from far many more people, in order to be successful.
The planners have compared the project to Macau, but Macau was a Portuguese trading post (and something of a backwater) for many years before it ever became a center for gaming. Even then, it took decades before the gaming industry exploded to the condition we see today. During its entire history, however, it developed due to existing demand. IMO, this project, though it seems inspired by the Las Vegas model for development, is simply doomed before it starts.
Now that’s a big Steely Dan.
The Kempinski group signed up with Incheon City as a supporter of 8 City and they are operating the Dark Side Hotel up in Pyongyang. They are certainly are putting effort into Korea.
they should put a huge banner over the schlong that reads:
Incheon. We’re happy to see you.
or
Incheon. We’re glad you came.
Gbnjh,
Excellent summary of my two lines, keep up the goid work
iMe’s phrases inspired a slogan for an ad campaign. Here goes:
8City: Don’t blow it – come as fast as you can.
It certainly shows long-term vision: eventually Incheon will reclaim the entire Yellow/West Sea, which is the best way of stopping illegal Chinese fishing boats.
@Gbnhj
Come! Come twice!
This and Songdo will fail. We can’t make cities from scratch.
To quote someone on Facebook:
“Someone forgot to factor in “pragmatism” in this plan. Songdo is a ghost town – I once took my Skyline and drove up the main boulevard on the LEFT side, just to see what it felt like to drive a RHD car as intended. That was at 3pm on a weekday, and that shows just how little traffic there was.”
If you believe that’s true in November 2012, you obviously haven’t been there recently. Currently, Songdo has approx. 55,000 residents. There are certainly many empty streets, in areas as yet undeveloped, where you can drive on either side with no problem. Convensiadaero (‘the main boulevard’), however, is not one of them. No matter how daring you may be, traffic precludes doing that there for more than a few meters in the wrong direction.
Songdo. We’ll make you come!
It would be facinating to see what numbers were in there fesability study. And who they think will be the suckers in investment and for the punters.
NO. That is on Muuido, an island that is one of the best weekend escapes from Seoul. A damn shame if they pave over those islands.
Thank You. Come Again!
sorry. can’t help myself..
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