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The city is developing into a smart city. Smart villages and smart farms are developing in rural areas. Architectural technology needs synergy with smart cities, smart villages, and smart factories (intelligent factories) to help architectural experts understand smart farms and build facilities and equipment. Smart farms require design and construction technology with architectural structure and function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status and cases of smart farms in Korea and to investigate cases abroad. The conclusion is as follows. ① Smart farms are developing rapidly. The Korean government is expanding smart farms by utilizing ICT technology and infrastructure. ② ‘Smart Farm Innovation Valley’, which has been promoted since 2018, is a cutting-edge convergence cluster industrial complex that integrates production, education, and research functions such as start-ups and technological innovation. ③ In domestic cases, smart farms are operated in subway stations, buildings, supermarkets, and restaurants. ④ In the Japanese case, a dome-type smart farm was being operated. It utilized factory wastewater, waste heat, renewable energy, and used new materials. Otemachi Ranch raised livestock and provided a lounge on the 13th floor of the building. ⑤ In the cases of Korea and Japan, the smart farm technology is very similar. As stated earlier, since the food culture and agricultural technology of both countries are similar, we hope to promote the development of smart farms that can reduce concerns about future food by communicating and sharing mutual technologies.

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.

Korea’s aging rate is currently 20.3%, and it has already entered a super-aged society in December 2024. However, there are areas where more functional differentiation is needed for the welfare facilities for the elderly. As such, the provision of adequate medical services and excessive services are not properly implemented, insurance premiums are charged and the finances of long-term care insurance and medical insurance for the elderly are being strengthened. Ultimately, it will be possible to reduce the burden of medical expenses for the elderly and improve the quality of services. Currently, the types of elderly care facilities are not diverse, so the elderly are unable to choose the appropriate facilities, have mild disabilities, and are forced to live with the elderly with severe diseases, and the symptoms often change suddenly to severe symptoms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide data that can be helpful in the design of elderly care facilities in Korea by considering the architectural characteristics of various elderly care facilities in Japan. In this study, we examine the differences between Japan’s elderly care facilities by type and examine their architectural characteristics. Through this study, the following facts were found. The elderly facilities in Japan started as poor relief facilities and were differentiated into elderly-only facilities used only by the elderly, and the composition of spaces centered on multi-person rooms that somewhat lack privacy has developed into semi-private rooms, and single-person rooms have now developed into general facilities. In the case of multi-person rooms, problems such as privacy problems and decreased autonomy have occurred due to the lack of personal privacy space of residents. Accordingly, recently, a unit-care model has been introduced that enables communal living and social exchange while ensuring individual independence. The average total floor area of facilities per person in the surveyed facilities was about 47.0㎡, which was twice as wide as the domestic permit standard, and the average floor area of the private rooms was 15.5㎡. Through this study, it can be seen that the facility composition of many elderly care facilities currently has relatively diverse spaces to practically practice the principles of human respect, home protection-oriented, and professional protection development, which are the planning ideologies of welfare facilities for the elderly, and in particular, the installation of rest and exchange spaces is secured in various ways regardless of large and small facilities.

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 aims to provide implications for Korea’s efficient application policies for closed schools by identifying the current status of how closed schools are revitalized in Japan and their supportive measures. In Japan, a total of 2,215 schools have closed from 1992 to 2001, and 8,580 schools from 2002 to 2020, with 10,709 closures occurring from 1992 to 2020. The average number is about 369 per year. In terms of the overall trend, the number of closed schools have been put into use and the numbers have increased from 70% in 2013 to 74% in 2020. To summarize the characteristics of the use, first, there is a complex phenomenon in which the use of closed schools are becoming more diverse. Second, closed schools are most often revitalized as educational facilities for residents, followed by social sports facilities, social education facilities and cultural facilities. Third, the use of closed schools in the industries are increasing as they are used as "corporal facilities and start-up support facilities". In order to promote the use of closed schools, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan promoted the simplification and elasticity of property disposal procedures in 2008. Since 2010, the disclosure of information on closed facilities and matching service between providers and users have been unified through the "Let's Connect to the Future ~ Closed School for All" project. The Cabinet Office including the four offices, and five central governments are advocating the use of closed schools by promoting subsidy support projects.

Smart farms are important facilities in future agriculture. Smart farms actively utilize ICT technology. This is a science-based agricultural method that automatically and remotely optimizes the growing environment of crops. The government has built Smart Farm Innovation Valley by concentrating distribution, production, education, and research facilities for smart farms. This paper focuses on the facilities installed in Sangju City. It has a one-stop support system that supports education, management, farming, and housing on an area of 43 ha. In particular, rental housing and community facilities have been built near the Innovation Valley for young people. In addition, complex facilities such as agricultural product sales centers, cafe, and club rooms are under construction. The results are as follows : First, there are 7 districts in the 'Smart Farm Innovation Valley'. There are housing complex, support center, greenhouses, etc. The site is large, so it can be expanded to surrounding areas. Second, the support center and education center are located in the center of the valley. Third, youth housing adjacent to the valley was built close to arterial road and bus stops for easy access to downtown areas and schools. The support policies for young farmers are as follows : First, build housing complexes for young farmers. Second, cooperate with local universities. Young farmers can settle down as farmers after graduation. Third, universities educate international students and help them settle down.

This study is to use B.F. certification standards to identify the application and differences of B.F. facilities according to various approaches, and to use the analysis results as basic data for the expansion and renovation of new facilities, the National University (Jeonnam University Library), which underwent remodeling before the implementation of the certification system, and the two newly established private universities (Joseon University Library) that were subject to legal application before the implementation of the certification system. First, Chosun University met more B.F. certification standards than Chonnam National University, and mainly intermediary facilities belonged to the best to the best. Second, Chosun University and Chonnam National University's internal facilities met many B.F. certification standards, and Chonnam National University had many areas to improve and found areas to remodel. Third, information facilities at Chonnam National University and Chosun University only had facilities for the hearing impaired, and there were no information facilities for the visually impaired. Facilities for the visually impaired had to be installed, and compared to Chosun University, Chonnam National University fell short of the B.F. certification standard, so there were many areas that needed to be remodeled.

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 suggest the direction of sustainable rural development through the analysis of existing rural revitalization policies and rural status. This study also aimed to explore ways to revitalize the agricultural-oriented rural economy and improve the settlement environment in consideration of the characteristics of rural spaces. Based on the results, we created a regional crop-specific agricultural space, planned concentration, farmland maintenance, and joint agricultural facilities to secure agricultural competitiveness. It also plans a walking-oriented settlement environment to create a safe and pleasant rural village. Finally, by overcoming the limitations of the existing land-use plan, a sub-concept rural spatial plan reflecting the characteristics of rural areas was proposed, and the rural revitalization plan was studied.

Due to the decrease in the school-age population and the overall population, school closures will continue to occur. Currently, most school closures are happening in rural areas, where geographical conditions often result in relatively poor educational, welfare, and cultural facilities compared to urban areas. Additionally, the proportion of elderly populations and migrant women is continuously increasing. In order to effectively utilize closed schools in the future, various efficient utilization methods that align with the social context of the respective regions will be necessary. The purpose of this study is to examine the status of closed school and utilization types in selected rural and island areas of similar sizes through field surveys and literature reviews. By comparing and analyzing these findings, we have identified the predominant utilization types in rural and island areas and assessed the current situation where utilization is lacking. Based on the results, we aim to provide fundamental data for improving and enhancing the utilization of school closures in the face of the ongoing decline in the school-age population.