Sojeho Project

The Sojeho Project is a local district development project in South Korea that aims to save the village of Soje-dong, located in Daejeon, from extinction and demolition. The old railroad village was built during the Japanese colonial era as a quarter for the workers along the then new railway line between Seoul and Busan. Located in the area of Lake Soje (Sojeho), the lake itself was filled back then for this very purpose. In total, there used to be over 100 residences in the area, of which only about 40 are left. Although some people still live in those residences, they are in danger of demolition due to rapid redevelopment. In 2017, urban developers recognised the potential of the district with its geographical location, as well as its architecture and history. Taking its name from the former lake, the Sojeho Project aims to preserve the historic structures of the railway villages and to fill them with new life in order to inform the public about local history. The lake also plays a key role in the project’s brand identity. It serves as a symbol connecting past and present. The motto of the project reads “Back to Lake” and the logo is made up of the defining elements of the quarter – the houses and the lake, symbolised by a triangle and horizontal lines that represent stylised waves. The “Sojeho Blue”, which represents the lake and can also be used in combination with light reflections, as well as various hues of grey reflecting the epochs were conceived of as brand colours. The old houses have been repaired and revitalised according to the guidelines of the project, which envisions the settlement of businesses with a local reference, a history and following sustainable approaches. Today, displays highlighting the corporate design of the project and discreet glass plates installed at each location guide visitors through the quarter and provide information about the original function and history of the buildings, thus making the present and the past converge. Moreover, the function or value embodied by the local cafe, boutique, atelier or craft studio, for instance, is communicated through a sophisticated system of abbreviations: Local Resource (Lo), Farm to Table (Fa), Curation (Cu), Eco-Friendly (Ec), Craftsmanship (Cr). All of these measures not only brought new life to the neighbourhood, but also received a lot of media and public attention, turning Daejeon into an attractive tourist destination.