Wetland

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When Greenery Paints the City - Magok District

The Magok District used to be a fertile plain, nourished by streams from the Han River, making it ideal for rice farming. This vast sight was prized in the Korean peninsula, surrounded by mountains at 70%. As a result of the Seoul city's initiative, it began its transformation into a planned city.

Post Korean War, cities filled with hastily built buildings and clusters lacked vivacity, proving that a good city wasn't just about the structures but required an identity that encompasses the whole city.

That identity could be historic like European cities, invisible programs, or nature as in Magok, which had better nature than any city in Europe with horizons where the sky and the ground directly met, unlike the mountains and skies elsewhere in the peninsula. The streams nourished the land, and the surrounding flora and fauna thrived without being buried or concealed by the city, but rather emphasized more.

The starting point of the streams from the Han River is marked by a wetland, with the Seoul Botanic Garden and its greenhouses solidifying the city's identity. The greenhouse, reminiscent of flowers, offers greenery all year round, while the parks with the seasons' changes allow for direct nature experiences.

The 'Magok Cultural Center' at the entrance of the wetland shows the historical significance as a drainage pump station for stable rice farming, remodeled into a cultural facility without erasing its past. This building, reborn through reinforcement and repairs, retains the land's history, granting an unforgettable identity to the city.

The diagonal axis stretching out from Seoul Botanic Garden crosses the city, leading to Magok Central Square, while the vertical parks end at Space K. At the intersection of these green axes lies the LG Art Center, each significant construction enhancing the advantages of the city. These buildings with deep ties to the land ensure the city's beauty.

Unlike other cities that could have been crammed with tall buildings, the city's identity limited building heights, defined road widths, and demanded more open spaces. The greenery spreading throughout the city affects even the buildings, making it at least not a city one would hesitate to walk in.

Photo, Text: Hyogeun Shin (@_hyogeun_)

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