Songpa-gu in Seoul plans to build a waterfront activity hub along Seongnaecheon at its confluence with the Han River, in the Sincheon-dong 21 area, district mayor Seo Gang-seok announced.
The project is part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's "Waterfront Sensory City" initiative. Construction is set to begin this month, with completion targeted for December. Once finished, it will give residents a dedicated rest space along Seongnaecheon for the first time — a stream that until now has served mainly as a walking and exercise route.
Seongnaecheon flows through the heart of Songpa-gu before emptying into the Han River. Despite running alongside the waterway, residents have had few places to sit, relax or take in the scenery.
Recognizing that gap, the district partnered with the city to create a riverside space where residents can linger as part of their daily routines.
The hub will occupy a previously vacant site where Seongnaecheon meets the Han River. The 764.15-square-meter facility will house community rooms and an exercise space on the ground floor, and a café on the second floor where visitors can watch sunsets over the Han River.
The rooftop will be fitted out as an observatory, bringing the surrounding landscape within close view. With Lotte World Tower, Gangbyeon Technomart and a Han River rail bridge as backdrops, the terrace is expected to become a popular vantage point for Seoul's changing seasonal scenery.
Accessibility is among the facility's strongest selling points. Situated along the route connecting Jamsillsaenae Station to Asan Medical Center, it will be easily reachable by residents, hospital patients and visitors, and anyone heading to the Han River.
Meanwhile, the district opened a similar waterfront hub along Jangjicheon last November, creating a leisure and cultural space that links the stream with Garden Five, a nearby legal district complex and surrounding apartment complexes.
"Songpa is one of the rare waterfront cities in Seoul, embracing Seokchon Lake, the Han River, Seongnaecheon, Jangjicheon and Tancheon," district mayor Seo said. "We will bring these waterways back closer to residents' everyday lives and build a premium city where rest, nature and beautiful urban scenery come together."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
