Earticle

This study aims to identify the strategic resources that contribute to competitive advantage of cultural complexes regenerated from idle traditional house. Employing the VRIO (Value, Rarity, Inimitability, Organization) framework, it analyzes two cases in South Korea: 3917 Majung in Naju and Yangchamsaーdaek in Hwasun. The findings indicate that spatial historicity and the operator’s philosophical vision fulfill all four VRIO conditions, securing a sustained competitive advantage. In contrast, official certifications and professional human resources, despite their inherent value and rarity, are considered underutilized due to insufficient organizational integration. Regionally linked content and diversified revenue models are assessed as offering only temporary or parity-level advantages. These results highlight that sustainable competitiveness in cultural space regeneration depends not merely on the possession of valuable resources but on their strategic interpretation, planning, and implementation. This study offers both theoretical and practical implications for cultural policy design and sustainable reuse models of idle heritage spaces.

Medical accessibility has gained critical importance for elderly health and rural community sustainability in Korea’s rapidly aging rural areas. This study analyzes differences between car and public transportation access to major medical facilities across four townships in Seobuk-gu, Cheonan, and examines relationships with elderly population changes. QGIS network analysis and mobile-based location information services were employed to calculate travel times from each township center to ten major hospitals by automobile and public transit, with 2019-2024 aging rate changes examined using Pearson and Spearman correlations. Substantial differences emerged between transportation modes: car access enabled reaching 2 hospitals within 30 minutes and 7-10 hospitals within 60 minutes across all townships, whereas public transit permitted access to only 1-2 facilities within the optimal 20-40-minute range and 3-5 within 60 minutes. A strong positive relationship was identified between elderly population growth rates and 20-40-minute public transit hospital access (Pearson r=0.977, p=0.023), while 60-minute accessibility showed strong positive correlation approaching significance (Spearman ρ=0.949, p=0.051). However, no significant correlation was detected between elderly population changes and shortest travel times. The analysis revealed that the number of accessible hospitals demonstrated stronger correlation with aging rates than travel time efficiency, indicating that medical service options are more critical than speed for elderly populations. Areas experiencing population decline alongside aging exhibited different patterns, suggesting varying residential requirements across age groups. These results indicate that public transit route diversification to multiple medical facilities may prove more effective than single-route speed improvements for elderly-oriented rural policies, providing empirical evidence for differentiated living condition improvements based on demographic composition and population change patterns.

This study analyzes the architectural characteristics of small-scale multi-functional home care facilities (SMCFs) in Japan, which have emerged as a new care model for an aging society. These facilities play a key role in the “Community-based Integrated Care System” by providing day care, home health care, and short-term care services in one location. The architectural design is rooted in a “grassroots movement” that utilized existing private houses, emphasizing “non-uniform domesticity” to create a home-like environment. This approach prioritizes the elderly’s “continuity of life” and “psychological comfort” over functional efficiency. The institutionalization of SMCFs in 2006 introduced a new challenge: the mandatory provision of 24-hour home health care. Successful SMCF design requires a variety of architectural considerations, including establishing the facility as a central hub for a community-based care network. The design should also incorporate open-plan kitchens to facilitate interaction and informal care. To accommodate the significant variation in user numbers between day and night, spatial flexibility is essential. For users with dementia, creating a home-like atmosphere with clear spatial organization is crucial for providing comfort. Ultimately, SMCFs should be designed as social hubs, integrating additional functions like group home care facilities or daycare centers to promote community exchange and create a sustainable care ecosystem.

This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of spatial composition and investigate the relationship with existing public facilities of newly supplied cultural and welfare facilities through the Rural Hub Revitalization Project in Jeolla Province. Facility types were classified based on the spatial program composition of newly supplied cultural and welfare facilities, and the correlation between each type and population size and the status of existing public facilities was analyzed. Additionally, the relationship with existing public facilities was examined in-depth by investigating the supply and location characteristics of the facilities, program operation, and revenue generation status. The study found that the newly supplied cultural and welfare facilities were classified into five types: Auditorium, Mixed-use, Cultural, Welfare, and Gymnasium. Each type showed a clear correlation with the region's population size and the status of existing public facilities. The supply and location characteristics of the facilities showed differentiated trends depending on the ratio of public and cultural welfare facilities in each region, and program operation and revenue generation also showed distinct characteristics for each facility type. In particular, in areas with a low ratio of public and cultural welfare facilities, the supply of Welfare facilities was prioritized, and in areas with a large number of public facilities, there was a tendency to attempt advancement through the supply of Cultural facilities. This study confirmed that the types of cultural and welfare facilities supplied to rural hubs are closely related to regional characteristics and the status of existing public facilities. This provides important basic data for setting the direction for the future supply of cultural and welfare facilities in rural hubs and suggests the need to develop customized facility supply and operation strategies considering regional characteristics and resident needs.