🌆CASE STUDY - Cheonggyecheon Flashcards
Where is Cheonggyecheon?
Seoul, South Korea
Since when has the river flowed through the city?
1300s
When was the river covered?
The 1960s
Why was the river covered?
To build a road above it as Seoul rapidly developed
What was the aim of the project?
To improve air quality, urban drainage, reduce traffic and increase the number of residents commuting on foot
How long did the removal of the road take?
2 years
How much did the removal of the road cost?
£200 million
When did the government decide to return the river to an open stream?
2002
Why did the government decide to return the river to an open stream?
Due to build up of traffic in the city and poor air quality
What was done to the river banks?
They were vegetated
What was the wider plan for the ‘Seoul forest’?
To create a green corridor so that wildlife could move freely without having to cross roads
How were the local community engaged in the project?
Through events and community projects
Where is water used from the create a constant flow of water?
The Han river, groundwater and purified water from sewerage treatment
Does the project impact urban drainage positively or negatively?
Perhaps negatively, as water is pumped in from elsewhere
How much has traffic reduced by?
2.3%
How much as use of the subway risen by?
4.3%
What was conserved and re-positioned?
Historic sites and bridges
Why has the project been criticised?
Because the pumping of water is costly, and the concrete bed makes water purification by animals difficult, as well as increases in Algae
How much has algae increased by year on year?
30%
What happened to the Cheonggycheon river 200 years ago?
Channelised and widened
What happened to the Cheonggycheon river 40 years ago?
. Piped and covered by road
. Increased air pollution in the city as more cars
. Made it difficult to repair the pipes as they were below ground
How was the river restored?
. Removed the roads over 2 years
. Created bridges over the new river channel
. Bus lanes added
How much did the restoration project cost?
380 billion Won
How many skilled workers were employed during the restoration project?
700,000
How far did the project span?
5.8 km
How many bridges were installed?
How many were pedestrian?
What did the bridges improve?
22 bridges
12 pedestrian
Improved the movement between the north and south of the city
How have cars been discouraged?
. Rapid bus lanes increased bus usage by 15%
. Increase in pedestrian friendly areas
Why did local businesses initially resist the renovation project?
Taught it would threaten their livelihoods
How were the issues of local businesses addressed?
. 4,000 debate meetings held
. Extra parking provided- maintain customers
. Provided grants for businesses
Why were transportation experts concerned about the highway removal?
Thought it would increase congestion as the highway carried 169,000 vehicles a day
How did citizens actively contribute to the project?
Participating in competitions and festivals
Successes: What does the river provide for Seoul residents?
. A place of rest and relaxation
. Improves their quality of life
Successes: How many tourists have visited in the 10 years after the restoration?
190 million
Successes: Why has the road removal been good?
. Reduces urban air pollution
. More now walk or get the bus
Successes: How many events have been held in the 10 years since the restoration?
What makes the events even better?
. Nearly 30,000
. They are free- accessible for all
Successes: By how much have city temperatures reduced?
. 2.5C
. Air flows freely along the stream creating a cooling wind
Successes: What will the project focus on in the next 50 years?
Improving ecology
Successes: Where has the Cheonggycheon Museum been built?
. On the embankment
. Shows the areas history and reconstruction- tourist attraction plus has historical significance for residents
Failures: How much does it cost to run each year?
$6.5 million
Failures: Where does most of the water in the river come from?
How much each day?
. Hangang River
. 120,000 tons each day
Failures: How much have speeds slowed in the CBD due to increased congestion?
12.3%
Failures: Why was some historical significance lost?
Historical bridges were not restored in the same location, they were moved along the river
Failures: Why have Korean residents outside of Seoul missed out?
Large amounts of money invested in Seoul- less for them
Failures: Why is it hard for the disabled to access?
What has been done to help?
. Irregular surfaces
. Poorly lit for visually impaired
. Lifts installed at 7 locations, free wheelchairs for those with mobility problems
When was Cheonggyecheon restored?
2003-05
When was the expressway built and what did it do
1971 - enclosed the river system
Originally what was the only input into the river?
Urban drainage system and waste water
What was there nothing of at the river before?
No vegetation so no evapotranspiration
The project aims (5 aims)
. Bring environmental benefits back to the river
. An ecologically sensitive pedestrian corridor which improves the environment
. To dismantle the elevated freeway and concrete deck above the stream
. Improve the quality of life
. Increase business competitiveness and connectivity either side of the river
What was the cost of the restoration scheme
$281million
What did the restored river maintain a regular flow of
40cm depth
What does the middle zone of the project have?
Fountains and waterfalls to increase biological oxygen supply
What does the final zone of the project have?
. Stream designed to look overgrown and wild.
. At the end the river flows into a wetland conservation area, and the end of the project
How many years does the river provide a flood protection for?
200
How did biodiversity increase by?
Over 600%
How much did the number of plant species increase by?
From 62 to 308
How much did the number of fish species increase by?
From 4 to 25
Rates of what increased and why?
Evapotranspiration rates increased because of the introduction of plants to the system
How much was small particle pollution reduced by?
35%
How much to foreign tourists contribute to the scheme through visitor spending?
$2 million
Before the restoration what were residents twice as likely to suffer from?
Respiratory disease as those in other parts of the city
How much did price of the land increase by?
30-50%
By what % did the number of businesses increase by?
3.5%
How much did the number of working people increase by?
0.8%
How did business owners feel about the project?
Some were not happy
Negative
. Uses electricity to artificially pump water - is the electricty clean
. Urban drainage is not based on natural urban drainage but by 2050 it will be
. Historical bridge moved - not a success culturally
