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Good practice Imported

Seoullo 7017 — Seoul's Former Highway Reborn as an Elevated Skygarden

South Korea · Seoul · See the South Korea profile · See the Seoul profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 89% 27/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Seoul converted a 1970s elevated highway into a ~1km botanical walkway with 24,000 plants across 228 species. The city claims 16.7M visitors since 2017, but independent reporting and a 2026 study found mixed results on public appeal and ecological function.

24,000 in 645 tree pots
Plants installed
228 across 50 families
Plant species/subspecies
16.7 million
Total visits since 2017
20,000 people/day
Average daily visits
60 billion KRW (~US$50 million)
Conversion cost
Seoullo 7017 — Seoul's Former Highway Reborn as an Elevated Skygarden

Details

Maturity
Established
Promoter
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Period
2017–present
Keywords
urban regeneration, green infrastructure, landscape architecture, urban heat mitigation

Context

In May 2017 the Seoul Metropolitan Government reopened a disused 1970s elevated highway overpass near Seoul Station as "Seoullo 7017", a roughly 1-kilometre pedestrian skygarden designed by Dutch architect Winy Maas (MVRDV), explicitly aimed at greening a car-centric transport corridor and mitigating the urban heat-island effect.

Activities

The ~60 billion KRW (about US$50 million) conversion planted 24,000 plants in 645 tree pots, spanning 228 species and subspecies across 50 plant families.

Results

The Seoul Metropolitan Government reports around 16.7 million visits since opening — roughly 20,000 people a day — based on figures extrapolated from CCTV footage. Independent follow-up has been more mixed: two years after opening The Korea Times reported the walkway 'holds little appeal for visitors,' citing thin midweek footfall, while a longitudinal academic assessment published in Sustainability (MDPI, 2026) tracking the site from 2017 to 2026 found it functions well as a safe, clean, aesthetically rated visitor attraction but identified design and maintenance shortfalls limiting its intended biodiversity and heat-mitigation benefits.

Conclusions

Because the vegetation sits in raised planters rather than open ground, the project offers limited soil infiltration or stormwater benefit, and no independent carbon-sequestration measurement has been published; its documented value lies chiefly in walkable green space and contested visitor engagement rather than measured ecosystem-service outcomes.

Implementation
Indicative cost
High (€500k–€5M) — ~60 billion KRW (about US$50 million) conversion cost.
Time to results
Medium (1–3 years) — Completed and opened May 2017; academic assessment tracked the site through January 2026.
Staffing & skills
Seoul Metropolitan Government (owner/operator), Winy Maas / MVRDV (design architect)

Conditions for success

  • High-profile international architect brought design visibility
  • Central Seoul Station location driving footfall

Common failure modes

  • The Korea Times reported the walkway 'holds little appeal for visitors' two years after opening, citing thin midweek footfall
  • 2026 MDPI academic assessment found design and maintenance shortfalls limiting intended biodiversity and heat-mitigation benefits
  • Raised-planter design offers limited soil infiltration/stormwater benefit and no published carbon-sequestration measurement

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Data sources

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