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In addition to growing
vegetables, the Mullae
rooftop garden in Seoul,
South Korea also functions as
a social space for neighbours
and visitors to the district.
Photo: Jeffrey HouT
he contempora r y cit ies of Ea st A sia a re perhaps best
recognized for their sprawling development and
glittering skylines. New central business districts were
created to attract global capitals but many resulted in banal
and ubiquitous development. Large-scale projects have erased
traditional urban fabric no longer deemed fit for modern
metropolis. Some historic remnants have been kept, but often
as window dressings, lacking raw vitality and authenticity.
In the midst of such rapid and profound transformations there
have also been remarkable landscape design projects. Work by
Beijing-based Turenscape presents innovative approaches in
mitigating the impacts of rapid urbanization. The
Cheonggyecheon stream restoration project in Seoul, despite
resulting in displacement of thousands of vendors and
businesses, illustrates a remarkable undertaking that favours
urban open space over cars, a legacy now reinforced by the
opening of Seoullo 7017, an elevated roadway converted into
a pedestrian greenway.
As a civil society in the cities of East Asia develops and
matures after decades of authoritarian rule and narrowly
focused economic growth, the forces of transformation are
coming not only from the top but also from the bottom,
through self-organized actions by citizens and community
g roups. In cit ies from Ta ipei to Tok yo, com munit ies a nd
non-profit organizations have become more active not only in
advocating for more urban open spaces, but also in making
them on their own, often with the support of other non-profit
groups, growing networks of volunteers and even local
governments.
More than designed spaces, these projects represent outcomes
of creative social engagement, agency of individuals and
community groups, and collaboration between a variety of
players who previously might not have had the opportunity
to participate in decisions affecting the outcomes of the built
environment. As such, these bottom-up placemaking projects
are transforming not only the built landscapes, but also the
role of citizens in the social production of cities and places,
leading to more creative use of spaces and more dynamic
social relationships.Mullae rooftop garden – Seoul, South Korea
Located in the western part of Seoul, Mullae-dong is known
for a history of industrial activities. Even after major
manufacturing facilities left the area, the neighbourhood
continued to host a network of suppliers and metal fabrication
shops. Like most other neighbourhoods in the city, Mullae-
dong has been surrounded by highrise residential towers, in
which residents rarely interacted with each other. In 2010, the
dynamic began to change when a small group of residents
came together to pursue urban gardening.Unable to find a site suitable for gardening within the
residential compounds, residents ended up using the rooftop
of a nearby building in the industrial part of the neighbour-
hood. With help from Seoul Green Trust, a non-profit
organization, the group received plant materials and
some training in gardening techniques. In addition to box
gardening, they engaged in activities such as urban beekeep-
ing, outdoor cooking and organizing a farmer’s market.Other residents in the neighbourhood began to join. They came
to g row vegetables, a s well a s to meet a nd interact w it h each
other. Today, the rooftop garden is a lush, elevated oasis in the
midst of an urban jungle, surrounded by nondescript factory
buildings and residential towers. Each day, residents from the
nearby apartments gather to tend their gardens and chat.
Started as a leisure activity among immediate neighbours, the
Mullae rooftop garden has since generated other activities in
the neighbourhood, including garden tours, a book cafe and
rainwater harvesting workshops.04