Opening of Gangdong-gu Resource Circulation Hub 'Re&Upcycle Plaza'

Gangdong-gu Lee & Upcycle Plaza Officially Opens on September 20, Beginning Full Operation
Constructed with a Total Budget of 7.7 Billion Won, 3-Story Building Expected to Serve as a Resource Circulation Hub

Gangdong-gu (District Mayor Lee Soo-hee) will officially open the ‘Re&Upcycle Plaza’ on September 20.

The ‘Re&Upcycle Plaza’ is a space that not only focuses on recycling but also adds design to discarded resources to create new product value. It was established to promote recycling culture and expand the base of the upcycling industry. Previously, the district was selected as a pilot district in July 2019 for the ‘Seoul-type Re&Upcycle Plaza Creation Contest Project,’ began construction in 2021, and invested a total project cost of 7.7 billion KRW until completion.

Built on a nearby site of the outdated recycling center constructed in 2005, the Gangdong-gu Re&Upcycle Plaza (960 Dongnam-ro, Gangdong-gu) covers a land area of 2,150㎡, a total floor area of 2,251.66㎡, and consists of three above-ground floors. The first and second floors house a modernized recycling center (handling furniture, home appliances, clothing, etc.), a repair and mending room, and the Areumin Library, while the third floor contains office facilities and an education hall.

The modernized recycling center, now refurbished and opened, features large home appliances and household furniture on the first floor, and clothing, sports equipment, and hobby items on the second floor. There is also a repair, mending, and cleaning room where collected and purchased recyclable items are repaired and cleaned to be reborn as products for sale. After-sales service for sold secondhand goods is also provided here.

On the second floor, there is a resource circulation promotion center and the Areumin Library, which residents can freely use. Visitors can comfortably stop by to read books or hold meetings, and view upcycled products that have recently gained attention as alternatives to environmental issues.

The third floor operates various resource circulation education and experience programs. The September upcycling education, which recently began recruiting participants, includes interesting programs focused on upcycling and reuse, such as making ‘Doorbell Ornaments’ from paper materials, making ‘Memo Holders’ from scrap paper, creating ‘My Own Upcycled Notebook’ from waste paper, and making ‘Melting Poly Keyrings’ from discarded plastic bottle caps. These programs offer residents an amazing experience of transforming waste into beautiful household items, gaining great popularity.

On August 18, a ‘Toy Repair Center’ was also pilot-operated for three days, offering free repairs for broken toys. Residents who brought broken toys to the Re&Upcycle Plaza had the parts diagnosed and selected by repair experts on-site, who then provided free repair services. Despite the short operation period, about 260 residents participated, receiving a great response. This service is also under consideration for formal operation in the future.

Nearby, there is also a Bicycle Comprehensive Service Center (918 Dongnam-ro) directly operated by the district. This center offers one-stop services from bicycle storage to rental and repair. Three professional mechanics are stationed here to provide bicycle repair services.

Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, “We expect the ‘Gangdong-gu Re&Upcycle Plaza,’ which will serve as a resource circulation hub space in the metropolitan area, to be widely used as a resource circulation culture base where residents of all ages can enjoy and benefit from various experiences and education aimed at spreading recycling culture and expanding the upcycling industry within the region.”