Seonyudo Ecological Park - a different retaining wall

This ecological park opened in 2002, four years after the former water treatment plant closed in 1998. Much of the structure of the original building has been retained making this one of the few sites in Seoul where twentieth century building is celebrated as ‘industrial heritage’.

Site plan of island showing four zone of park, corten walls highlighted in square block (see below)

The remaining crumbling concrete walls now retain water, the thick sunken drums have become amphitheatres and the old foundations have been exposed to create a courtyard. The layout of the former water plant now forms the routes through and backdrop for the park. As one walks through, it is like journeying through a process, of history and of ecology. The 100 square metre plot is divided into four zones:

1 Water Purification: converts former water purification basin into a series of  pools. Natural processes now clean the water. The water is channelled to the ecological water playground
2 Garden of Green Columns: Ivy-clad columns make up a sunken area, formerly the main reservoir’s foundation
3 Aquatic Botanical Garden: Shallow filtration basin, previously used to remove debris from water
4 Garden of Transition: Former chemical settlement facility now houses an aroma, vine, moss and fern gardens

The four zones are connected by paths, boardwalks and elevated walkways that run alongside a network of pipelines and water conduits

Retaining walls

This visit has introduced a new type of retaining wall:

- crumbling concrete walls that retain water as well as earth: a rich series of layers reveal the history of what existed before
- new walls made from corten steel (a material not used anywhere else that I have seen) create a generous entrance to the exhibition hall

I am interested also in to the two new retaining walls found at the park. The main entrance to the exhibition hall slopes down to a sub-basement level. In front of the foyer, two corten steel walls frame a generous processional ramp entrance as drawn below. At the higher level, the walls provide a bench seating area providing different uses with one element; retaining, seating, framing. These functions questions the role of retaining walls, what are their limits?

Section diagram

Axonometric