Seoul will be utilizing an abandoned highway again in what seems like South Korea’s version of NYC’s High Line, according to Business Insider.
The redevelopment of the highway has been appointed to Dutch architecture firm MVRDV along with another Dutch design studio Studio Makkink & Bey. The landscape will be done by Dutch designer Ben Kuipers.
While the High Line park was made from an existing rail track, Seoul Skygarden will be located in a disused Seoul Station Overpass which is an elevated highway. The 938-meter-long stretch of road will be transformed as a new pedestrian pathway with over 254 species of flowers, shrubs and trees.
The MVRDV press release explains the design will be based on the Korean alphabet's organization. Also, an urban arboretum will provide a diverse “library of plants” which citizens can learn a lot from. It will be supplemented with a variety of other green areas in the city, including cafes, libraries, greenhouses and flower shops.
The Seoul Station Overpass was constructed in the 1970s and acted as a connection from Namdaemum market to the west part of Seoul. It also crosses through a major railway station. However, in 2009, the overpass had to be closed off to vehicular traffic due to safety concerns.
In early 2015, a design competition was announced by the Seoul government in its goal for the city to become one of the world’s most eco-friendly cities. Its strategies included diminishing air pollution as well as reusing abandoned public areas and buildings.
With the new Skygarden, walking around neighboring railway stations will be reduced to 11 minutes from the usual 25 minutes. In terms of economic benefits, once the project is completed, it is expected to generate 1.83 times the cost of its renovation and maintenance.
MVRDV also announced its plans of expanding the development into the Skygardens’ surrounding districts. The architecture company will also add a system of stairs, escalators and lifts and “satellite gardens” which will be connected to the Skygarden through existing structural piers.
