The original name of the Cheonggyecheon (Stream) is "Gaecheon" meaning "Open Stream." It is an urban stream flowing west to east converging the center of Seoul, Korea. Its total length spans 10.92km. Because of problems, especially related to flooding and sanitation, Cheonggyecheon had been fully covered between May 1958 and December 1961. The construction of the Cheonggye Express highway (overpass) took place between August 1967 and August 1971 to detour traffic from the central downtown area. Its length spanned 5,650m and the road width was 16m.
Initiated under Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak to create a more environmentally friendly city, the Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project aims to solve problems related to safety, to enhance the quality of the stream environment, and to revitalize the underdeveloped economy in the surrounding area. The construction started with removing the Cheonggye Expressway.
Owner: City of Seoul, South Korea
Contractors: DAELIM Industrial Company and SAMSUNG Corporation (section1), LG Engineering & Construction Company and HYUNDAI Development Company (section2), Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company and KOLON Engineering & Construction Company (section3)
Design Consultants: Chungsuk Engineering Company (section1), Samhwan Engineering Company (section2), Dongmyeong Engineering Consultant & Architecture (section3)
Keywords: South Korea, Seoul, Cheonggyecheon, restoration, urban revitalization, stream, construction, multi-story building, low-rise buildings, commercial structures, markets, traditional market places, city planning. Submitted by Misun Hur.
