Seoul Skygarden

An increasing number of cities in Asia are engaging in efforts to develop and integrate water networks and Green infrastructure as urban planning strategies that also provide for public spaces. This can be achieved through the protection of natural habitats within urban landscapes, while providing adaptive measures that are responsive to the climate. As such, design strategies used to develop Green and blue spaces can help generate environmental, socio-cultural and economic benefits for the surrounding areas and the community. Here are three projects that illustrate how these concepts have been implemented.

YANWEIZHOU PARK

Yanweizhou is a natural riparian wetland located where the Wuyi River and the Yiwu River converge to form the Jinhua River in the urban heart of Jinhua, a city with a population of over 1 million. Before the Yanweizhou Park project was implemented, the three rivers, each of which is over 100 metres wide, divided the densely populated communities in the region. As a result of this inaccessibility, cultural facilities, including an opera house, and the green spaces adjacent to Yanweizhou were underutilised. The remaining 50-acre (20-hectare) riparian wetland was fragmented or destroyed by sand quarries.

FORGING A RESILIENT LANDSCAPE THROUGH ADAPTIVE DESIGN STRATEGIES

Adaptive design strategies were employed to resolve problems posed by site conditions and to achieve a resilient landscape. The river currents, the flow of people, and the gravity of objects are all woven together to form a dynamic concord. This is achieved through the meandering vegetated terraces, curvilinear paths, a serpentine bridge, circular bioswales and planting beds, and curved benches.

PROJECT DATA

Project Name	Seoul Skygarden
Location	Seoul, South Korea
Status	Under construction
Expected Completion	2017
Site Area	938-metre section of elevated highway (9.661 square metres)
Client/Owner	Seoul Metropolitan Government
Architecture Firms	MVRDV
Principal Architect	Winy Maas; Jacob van Rijs; Nathalie de Vries
Landscape Designer	Ben Kuipers
Local Architect	DMP
Civil & Structural Engineer	Saman Engineering; Cross
Local Landscape Designer	Korea Engineering Consultants Corporation (KECC)
Sustainability Consultant	EAN
Industrial Designer	Studio Makkink & Bey
MEP Consultant	Samsin
Traffic Engineer	Song Hyun R&D
Lighting Designers	Viabizzuno; Nanam Ald
App Designer	nhtv
Cost Engineer	Myong Gun
Images/Photos	MVRDV