This article details the transformation of the Cheonggyecheon stream in Seoul, South Korea, which was once covered by a highway. Originally a vital waterway for over 600 years, it had deteriorated into a polluted open sewer by the 1930s. In the 1960s, an elevated highway was built over it, symbolizing modernization but later contributing to urban decay. In the early 2000s, Seoul leaders, responding to public dissatisfaction and infrastructure disasters, decided to restore the stream, removing the highway. This project, completed in 2005, has turned Cheonggyecheon into a popular urban space that helps with flood management, cooling, and air quality, while also serving as a cultural venue. The restoration is considered a successful example of reclaiming urban spaces for people.
Check it out here:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/17/seoul-cheonggyecheon-motorway-turned-into-a-stream