Name: Gyeongui Line Forest Park
Address: 133 Donggyo-ro 51-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Telephone: 02-719-8830
Rating: 4.5

Former train line converted into a leafy park with pathways, lawns & streams, plus cafes nearby.

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N Seoul Tower

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Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongui Line Forest Park was built on a section of the old Gyeongui Line railroad, which connected Seoul to Sinuiju (now in North Korea).

Former Life

The park stretches for approximately 1.2 kilometers, offering a significant green space in the heart of Seoul.

Length in Kilometers

The park is divided into five unique sections, each with its own theme and landscaping, providing diverse experiences for visitors.

Distinct Sections

The park's design emphasizes ecological restoration, incorporating native plants and creating habitats for local wildlife.

Ecological Focus

Gyeongui Line Forest Park serves as a vibrant community space, hosting events, performances, and providing a place for relaxation and recreation.

Community Space

Some sections of the park feature preserved vintage train cars, offering a glimpse into the area's railway history.

Train Car Display

Gyeongui Line Forest Park

Gyeongui Line Forest Park, a linear oasis carved from a decommissioned railway, offers a unique urban experience in Seoul. Unlike typical parks, its elongated design mirrors the path of the former Gyeongui Line, creating distinct sections each with its own character. The Yeonnam-dong section, known for its vibrant atmosphere, seamlessly blends into the surrounding cafe culture, offering an almost continuous flow of park and pedestrian space. Further along, the park transitions into quieter, more contemplative zones featuring restored railway remnants like tracks and signal posts, serving as poignant reminders of its past. A lesser-known aspect is the park's role as a green corridor, facilitating wildlife movement within the city. The park also incorporates underground spaces, cleverly repurposing former railway infrastructure into cultural venues and community areas, adding another layer to its multifaceted appeal. The park's design thoughtfully integrates existing trees, creating a mature landscape that feels surprisingly established despite its relatively recent creation.

Introduction

Gyeongui Line Forest Park exemplifies urban regeneration by transforming a disused railway line into a vibrant public space, reconnecting severed neighborhoods and fostering community engagement. The park's creation directly addresses the urban decay that followed the railway's decline, revitalizing surrounding commercial areas through increased foot traffic and attracting local businesses. Its design incorporates elements of the original railway, such as tracks and train cars, serving as historical markers and preserving the area's industrial heritage. This adaptive reuse strategy not only provides green space in a densely populated city but also offers a tangible link to the past, fostering a sense of place and identity.

The park's impact extends beyond aesthetics, influencing the social fabric of the adjacent communities. By providing a shared space for recreation, relaxation, and cultural events, it encourages interaction among residents and promotes social cohesion. The project also prioritized sustainable design principles, incorporating permeable pavements, native plant species, and rainwater harvesting systems, contributing to environmental resilience and mitigating the urban heat island effect. Furthermore, the Gyeongui Line Forest Park demonstrates a successful model for brownfield redevelopment, showcasing how neglected infrastructure can be repurposed to create valuable public assets that enhance the quality of life for urban dwellers while promoting ecological sustainability and community revitalization.

Urban Regeneration

Gyeongui Line Forest Park exemplifies innovative linear park design by transforming a disused railway corridor into a vibrant urban green space. The park's design strategically knits together fragmented urban tissues, reconnecting neighborhoods bisected by the former railway line. Its success lies in the deliberate preservation and adaptive reuse of railway infrastructure, such as repurposed tracks and railway bridges, which serve as unique design elements and historical markers. The park's linear form facilitates pedestrian and bicycle circulation, promoting sustainable transportation and recreation along its entire stretch. Thoughtful landscape architecture integrates diverse ecological zones, from manicured gardens to naturalized habitats, enhancing biodiversity within the urban environment. The design incorporates varying scales of open space, providing opportunities for both active and passive recreation, community events, and quiet contemplation. A key design consideration was minimizing disruption to existing urban fabric during construction, achieved through careful planning and phased implementation. The park's design also prioritizes accessibility, ensuring universal usability for people of all ages and abilities. Furthermore, the integration of public art installations and cultural programs along the linear pathway enriches the visitor experience and fosters a sense of place. Gyeongui Line Forest Park demonstrates how linear park design can effectively revitalize urban areas, improve quality of life, and create a sustainable legacy for future generations.

Gyeongui Line Forest Park

Did You Know?

Former Life

Length in Kilometers

Distinct Sections

Ecological Focus

Highlights from Reviews

Location