Competition seeks locally tailored ideas for vacant-home regeneration

Participants pose for a group photo at the awards ceremony for the vacant-home revitalization idea contest on Friday. [HUG]
Participants pose for a group photo at the awards ceremony for the vacant-home revitalization idea contest on Friday. [HUG]

The Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation announced Tuesday that it held an awards ceremony Friday for its "2026 Vacant-Home Revitalization Cooperation Project Idea Contest," aimed at putting abandoned properties in Busan to use for balanced regional development and community contribution.

The contest, organized by HUG as a public institution that relocated to Busan, centered on the theme of "actionable ideas for vacant-home revitalization." HUG selected three winning entries after reviewing submitted renovation plans and renderings through an employee vote and consultations with outside experts, including urban planning and architecture professors.

The grand prize went to "RE:DOCK Bongnae," a proposal to repurpose vacant homes near the shipyard district of Bongnae-dong in Yeongdo-gu. The entry drew high marks for presenting a new residential vision for the declining, depopulating Yeongdo area and for its innovative approach to linking vacant-home revitalization with broader community development.

The excellence award went to "TURN ON: ON-sil, a Greenhouse That Lights Up Vacant Homes," set in Yeongdo-gu, while the merit award went to "Ami-dong Medi-Wellness Village" in Seo-gu. Winners received Onnuri gift certificates valued at 1.5 million won ($1,100) for the grand prize, 1 million won for the excellence award and 500,000 won for the merit award.

"The fundamental purpose of relocating public institutions to the regions is balanced development and community contribution," HUG President Choi In-ho said. "We will share the selected ideas with local governments and work together so they can genuinely benefit regional development, and we will continue to identify projects that allow us to grow alongside local communities."

Meanwhile, HUG is accepting applications for its 12th round of the Deundeun Jeonse Housing program — its largest recruitment drive ever at 900 units — with the application period running from Wednesday through Monday.


hwshin@heraldcorp.com