Seoul Skygarden, Renderings: MVRDV
Blooming glory instead of exhaust-belching traffic: an unused stretch
of highway in Seoul is now to be transformed into an attractive
promenade.
This project, brainchild of the Dutch architecture studio
MVRDV,
represents a particular form of upcycling. Instead of tearing down the
highway on stilts in order to build something new, the creative
architects want to rededicate the unused road as a park for city
residents.
A bit of nature 17 metres off the ground, with 254 types of trees,
bushes and flowers, all organized according to the Korean alphabet, will
allow passers-by to discover new plants and interact with the green
world. Cafés, flower shops, markets, bookshops and greenhouses will give
the promenade its finishing touches.
The project is called Seoul Skygarden and has won MVRDV the
international transformation contest. The highway was built in the 1970s
and declared unsafe for motor traffic in 2006.
"Seoul Skygarden will improve daily life for many citizens of Seoul," says Winy Maas of MVRDV. "It will offer a lovely shortcut through a
green oasis, right there among all the traffic and concrete of the
city."