Jonggak Station Solar Garden

Seoul, South Korea

About the city. In 2014, Seoul was the first in the nation to begin a veranda-type sunlight generation supply project to distribute mini sunlight generation plants to 1 million households.

Goal

The underground idle space stretching from Jonggak Station of Seoul Subway Line 1 to Jongno Books was empty. Seoul mayor’s (Park Won Son) decided to use this space for one of the sustainable and renewable energy projects. The main goal is to reduce carbon and other toxic gas emissions.

Implementation period. The garden opened in October 2019.

Fact

Jonggak is believed to be the world’s first subterranean park that is solar-powered. The same solar park idea has already been planned on a big scale for New York City.

Solutions

Jonggak Station Solar Garden is an underground park in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. The project became one of many projects of the mayor Park Won Son who tends to employ sustainable and renewable energy across the city. Previously, there was an empty underground space from Jonggak Station of Seoul Subway Line 1 to Jongno Books.

However, in 2018, space was decided to be changed into a public space with some facilities. This project’s main facility is the solar lighting system that draws in the sunlight below ground to create an underground environment favourable for plant growth. Special solar dishes collect energy and channel it through the tubes with mirrors, then distribute it through the anodized aluminium panels in the underground garden. Natural light is drawn in through eight lighting systems in the ceiling to recreate a sunlit, cave-like atmosphere. Remarkable, during the night hours, on rainy or foggy days when there is little sunlight, the solar lighting system automatically switches to LED lighting.

There are many plants and trees in the park. The botanical garden with growing vegetation all year round, including fruit-bearing trees that require intensive sunlight, such as lemon trees and orange trees, as well as moss and other shade plants. In general, over 35 different species.

This is not only a botanical garden but also a space for events. Areas throughout the garden are used for plant workshops and classes, performances, meetings, and healing programs (yoga, meditation, etc.) for office workers.

Team

The Seoul Metropolitan Government

Timeline

The New York City Mayor’s Office was inspired by the project in Seoul. A former trolley terminal in Manhattan’s Lower East Side into a public park is going to be transformed into a solar-generated subterranean park.

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