Nodeul Island on the Han River Transformed After 55 Years... Gardens on Water and in the Sky

Seoul to Redevelop Nodeul Island Waterfront
Floating Garden and Dock to Be Built First
Main Construction Accelerates: Aerial Garden and Pedestrian Bridge
Approval Granted, Target Opening in March 2028

Nodeul Island, located in the middle of Hangang Bridge in Seoul, is set to undergo a large-scale renovation for the first time in over 55 years. A cultural space featuring a petal-shaped aerial garden is planned, with the transformation beginning at the waterfront area, where a Hangang bus pier and a floating park will be created.

According to the maintenance industry on September 17, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will begin construction as early as next month to build a floating garden-a buoyant structure-on Nodeul Island in Yongsan District, and will start renovating the surrounding waterfront area.

Nodul Island Maintenance Plan, Final Selection in Nodul Global Art Island International Place Naming Design Competition. Seoul City

Nodeul Island, an artificial island created in 1917 during the Japanese colonial period, was left neglected for decades after plans to develop it as an amusement park in the 1970s fell through. Depending on the priorities of different Seoul mayors, proposals ranged from building an opera house to creating a vegetable garden. It was only last year that a maintenance plan was established to install an aerial pedestrian bridge shaped like Korean mountains over Nodeul Island.

A project by Thomas Heatherwick, often called the "Leonardo da Vinci of the United Kingdom," was ultimately selected in the Nodul Global Art Island International Place Naming Design Competition. Recently, the Seoul City Urban Planning Committee approved the related plan, completing the basic administrative procedures.

Before the main construction, the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to first renovate the waterfront area, excluding the central section of Nodeul Island. The plan is to reorganize the outdated walking trails and landscaping spaces, and to install a floating garden that will serve both as a Hangang bus pier and a floating stage, thereby expanding the usability of Nodeul Island. Ecological gardens and large structures called "gap stairs" are also planned throughout the waterfront area.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government expects the waterfront renovation alone to take about two years. Additional administrative procedures are required for the floating garden, pedestrian bridge, and floating dock, as these are subject to river occupancy permits.

Alongside the waterfront renovation, the main construction will also accelerate. The design for placing the aerial garden atop towering concrete pillars is being handled by Thomas Heatherwick. The concept involves installing an aerial pedestrian bridge shaped like Korean mountains over Nodeul Island. This bridge, connecting the east and west sides, will include exhibition spaces and observation decks, creating a new pedestrian axis for Nodeul Island and a three-dimensional rest area offering panoramic views of the Hangang River and Seoul.

Heatherwick's initial plan called for an investment of about 1.5 trillion won, but the final plan has been scaled down to 350 billion won. The height of the pillars supporting the garden was also reduced from 40 meters to around 20 meters. The Urban Planning Committee approved this revised maintenance plan in July. The goal is to open the new facility in March 2028. After the winning design was announced, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon met with Heatherwick in person to discuss the detailed design. At the time, Mayor Oh said, "Heatherwick's approach, which preserves as much of the existing architecture as possible while creating a fantastic landscape, was deeply moving to me."

A bird's-eye view of the petal-shaped floating garden planned to be created on Nodeul Island by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Seoul Metropolitan Government