Contributed byFerillo andAssociates

Oswald Nagler

 Oswald “Ozzie” Nagler, an internationally recognized land planner, best known in the Midlands for his work on the Three Rivers Greenway and Community Development in Harbison, was recently honored as the distinguished guest at a national planning institute in Seoul, Korea.

This honor came during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Housing, Urban and Regional Planning Institute, which the globetrotting Nagler founded at the Ministry of Construction in Seoul.  

Nagler, a Harvard graduate, founded the institute in 1965 when he served as advisor to the Korean Minister of Construction. While there he directed an interdisciplinary team of 40 planners, architects, engineers, economic, legal and other specialists in the work of producing new towns, urban sectors, and redevelopment initiatives ranging from projects in communities with populations from 40,000 to 1.2 million.

During his two years in Korea, Nagler trained a significant number of young professionals, many of whom became leaders in the field of urban design in the country and beyond.  Some of his former students include: Kyu Sung Woo, an internationally renowned architect in Cambridge, MA; Dr. Hongbin Kang, who as vice mayor of Seoul led the urban design development of Seoul; and Prof. Jin Kyun Kim, the former president of the Korean Institute of Architects.

While in Korea, Nagler also established fundamental urban design data and methodology for the country and designed various major urban design and planning projects including the new town of South Seoul and the City of Suwon.  His approach is well known for its sensitivity to the native culture and respect of the social customs of the country, both of which are reflected in his training and teaching, as well as his projects.

Since his departure in 1967, Nagler has visited Korea several times and has been involved in many urban design projects in the country, including the development of several new towns and the 1988 Olympic Village.  Additionally, he was a visiting professor through the joint studio of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) and Seoul National University.

His contributions to the urban design development of Korea have made him the subject of various historical studies by the Korean Urban Planning community.  

During this commemorative year, marking Nagler’s historic founding of the Housing Urban and Regional Planning Institute, he was recognized in August by his former staff, trainees, and the professional community in general during a reunion celebration.