The Seoul city government is creating a "garosup" street-tree garden and adding up to 100,000 square meters of new green space in G-Valley [1].
This initiative targets the Guro and Gasan digital industrial complexes, areas previously characterized by a near-zero percent green-space ratio [1]. By introducing lawns and trees, the city aims to transform a gray industrial zone into a livable environment for the young professionals who work there.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon said the decision followed reports from workers who felt the area lacked spaces that inspired affection or a desire to linger. He said that some employees expressed a strong urge to leave the district immediately after finishing their shifts.
"I was very shocked to read posts saying that there are too few spaces where one can feel affection and want to stay, and that people want to leave this space quickly after work," Oh said [2].
To address this, the city is prioritizing the development of greenery throughout the G-Valley area to ensure employees have access to shaded, natural environments during their workday [1, 2]. The plan focuses on converting existing industrial landscapes into corridors of greenery, effectively replacing concrete with sustainable urban gardens.
This project is part of a broader effort by the Seoul government to improve the quality of life within its specialized economic zones. By integrating nature into the digital industrial complex, the city intends to reduce the starkness of the urban environment, and support the mental well-being of its workforce [1].
“The city is creating a "garosup" street-tree garden and adding up to 100,000 square meters of new green space.”
This shift reflects a growing trend in urban planning where industrial hubs are being reimagined as mixed-use living spaces. By prioritizing 'livability' over pure industrial utility, Seoul is attempting to retain young talent in the G-Valley tech sector by mitigating the psychological toll of high-density, concrete-heavy work environments.
