The Seoul Metro’s Empty Space Problem
Referred to as a “futuristic version of agriculture” by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and known in general as vertical farming, the Sangdo farm opened in 2019 and was the first smart farm to be installed in a subway station in South Korea. According to Nikkei Asia, the farm was born out of the Seoul Metro’s desire to utilize vacant spaces inside its stations and diversify its revenue sources.
Before the farm opened, the area where it now resides used to be an unattended exit and meeting point for folks. Transfer hubs and big stations in South Korea are normally home to restaurants and shops, but locations like Sangdo are often unused because retailers aren’t interested in them.
