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Writer's pictureScarlett Lee
Oct 42 min read

From Concrete ruins to Ecological Park


Buildings industries are the no.1 carbon emission contributor taking up to 37%, from material production, construction to the end of building service, based on the UN report. Since knowing this striking fact, I have been drawn the subject such as the process of material production and recycling materials, especially focusing on how to reduce carbon footprints.



Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
The green columns of the Seonyudo Park show how buildings ruins can be reborn by the touch of nature

The Seonyudo Park (선유도 공원) might be an exemplary project that demonstrates how abandoned ruins can be reborn by the touch of nature. The Seonyudo Park is an island in the Han River in Seoul. This place used to have a high peak comprised of stones, and this beautiful scenery was praised by artists until this landscape was completely gone being used as a quarry during the Japanese colonial period. Since then, a water purification plant was built and operated until 2000 in this island. Afterwards, this island was transformed as an ecological park.


 


Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
The fantastic view from the Seonyudo towards Yeouido

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
The Seonyudo Park is full of greenery but the image of the island was a lot different before being reborn as the Park.


Young-seon Jeong, the 1st generation landscape architect in South Korea, planned to re-utilise the concrete ruins of the place instead of removing them. Therefore, the abandoned water basin or buildings were reused to grow aquatic plants, and concrete beams were transformed as a path or bridge for visitors to see and observe gardens with a dynamic perspective.

 


Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
The park can be viewed from dynamic perspectives from the lower to upper level. The steel beams were reused as a path to observe greenery

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
The concrete water tank has reborn to grow aquatic plants

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
The bridge on the aquatic garden allows to observe the aquatic plants closer

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원


One of the most interesting areas of the park was the green columns. The concrete columns used to support a floor above when they were used for the water purification plant. The landscape architect planned to take off the floor above and expose the concrete columns to recreate as green columns. She planted ivy around the columns. One of the pillars of the garden is left without ivy, so you can check the clear colour difference in the concrete because of the remained slime, showing how high water was contained in the place before.

 


Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
It is outstanding to see how concrete ruins can be transformed by the touch of nature. Ivy planted around the columns has fully grown and beautifully trimmed.


Considering the fact that reinforced concrete is nearly impossible to recycle, this garden exemplifies how the ruins can be revitalised by the touch of nature. This project made me think about the role and responsibility of architects and landscape architects for our environment.


 


Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원

Seonyudo Park, Seonyudo, landscapedesign, recycle materials, building materials, concrete ruins, landscape design, ecological park, seoul park, seoul travel, 선유도, 선유도 공원, 서울 공원
The Seonyudo Park can be accessible by two bridges, either from the Yanghwa han river park (pedestrian only) or from the Yanghwa bridge.




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