From placelessness to place: exploring rooftops in Seoul as potential spaces for physical activity

Due to overpopulation and housing issues, there is an increasing shortage of spaces suitable for physical activity in Seoul. Rooftops may be an effective replacement for traditional spaces, but local government policy limits the use of rooftops for this purpose. Using Relph’s concept of placelessness, this study analyzes the factors that prevent Seoul’s rooftops from being used as spaces for physical activity. We conducted interviews with six participants, who were asked a series of questions pertaining to the use of rooftop spaces in Seoul, and found that national policies and systems, commercialisation, and aesthetic gratification contribute to rooftops’ sense of placelessness. To establish their sense of place and promote their use as viable spaces for physical activity, government policy must be improved, and efforts must be made to change residents’ attitudes towards rooftop spaces.