South Korea and Milan – The South Korean coastal city of Busan has restored a disused railway to provide an enriching urban area for locals.
Dubbed Blueline Park, the linear development extends over 5km of coastline overlooking the Sea of Japan. Created with architecture studio Migliore + Servetto, the park route begins in the modern district of Haeundae and is divided into three areas. Beginning at Mipo railway station, the Blueline Park route then extends to the fishing village of Cheongsapo and ends at the historic station of Songjeong, a popular seaside resort in the area. To elevate the area between the stations, a panoramic cable car has been positioned alongside the route, while disused infrastructures lend themselves to multi-purpose communal spaces.
Further elements which repurpose the land include vegetable gardens and public green spaces to benefit local residents. According to the architects, ‘the project does not erase the past but instead draws on and reinterprets it.’
Across the globe, citizens are seeking such receptive and equitable cities to improve their quality of living.