In 2003, the city of Seoul took a rare step “back in time,” demolishing a major downtown freeway to uncover and restore the ancient Cheonggyecheon stream that once flowed beneath it. An impressive feat of engineering, the project re-purposed more than 75 percent of the dismantled highway material for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the stream’s banks and commercial corridor. The Cheonggyecheon is now a vital part of the city’s commercial and tourism sectors, and has proven that environmental restoration can revive culture and community, as well.
The most recent installment of the e² series – e² transport – examines sustainable transportation alternatives with potentially far-reaching effects. The series introduces a broad range of ideas to address the crises of automobile culture and fossil fuel dependence: from existing technologies, to long-term urban planning, to economic incentives. Even if regional transportation becomes more efficient, people and goods will still need to travel the world.