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Cheonggye Stream turns into summer showcase for sustainability
Visitors view works made from recycled and eco-friendly materials at the "Adding and Subtracting for the Ecological Environment" exhibition at Cheonggyecheon Shantytown Theme Zone. Courtesy of Seoul Facilities Corp.
By Lee Kyung-min
Discarded seaweed, used coffee grounds and scrap aluminum are getting a second life along Cheonggye Stream, which flows from west to east through the heart of downtown Seoul, where a new exhibition and children's education program aim to make sustainability tangible for visitors this summer.
The Seoul Facilities Corp. said Friday it launched an eco-friendly materials exhibition and summer ecology education program at Cheonggye Stream to promote environmental awareness and resource recycling.
The exhibition, titled "Adding and Subtracting for the Ecological Environment," opened Friday at the Cheonggyecheon Shantytown Theme Zone in Seongdong District.
Developed in collaboration with the Material Design Lab of Hongik University's department of metal art and design, the exhibition explores the relationship between production, waste, materials and environmental sustainability through research-driven design.
Twelve artists are presenting 14 works created from recycled and discarded materials.
Featured pieces include lighting made from seaweed fiber woven with kelp extract, crayons produced from Cheonggye Stream algae mixed with natural wax, aluminum furniture that transforms into umbrella stands and clothes hangers, and translucent lamps made from waste paper and brass shavings.
Other works incorporate discarded textiles, printed circuit boards, aluminum cans, coffee and tea grounds and loofah gourds.
The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Mondays.
Visitors who follow the Cheonggye Stream Instagram account and verify their visit at the information desk can receive a reusable towel, with 20 available each day on a first-come, first-served basis.
The corporation is also partnering with the National Institute of Ecology to offer three ecology education sessions for elementary school students during summer vacation.
Programs for younger students on July 29 and Aug. 5 focus on observing beetles and dragonflies to learn about insect life cycles, while an Aug. 12 session for older students uses a cooperative board game to teach climate change and ecosystem conservation.
Registration opened Friday through Seoul's public reservation system, with each session limited to 20 participants.
"Cheonggye Stream is a place where industry and ecology coexist, and we hope these programs will help citizens experience the value of a sustainable future in an engaging way," the corporation said.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.