The Current Status of Indoor Garden Design and Construction in Service Areas on Korea’s Expressways

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status of the construction of indoor gardens in expressway service areas. This study can be utilized as basic data for efficient and successful indoor garden introduction in future service areas and improvements for current service areas on expressways. The study period was from September 2, 2016 to October 11, 2017. The status of indoor garden was determined by visiting 147 expressway service areas in Korea. Physical environment survey items include architectural structure, usage type, facility and garden ornament, mobility, material of planter, soil type and planting plants. Among the 147 major expressway service areas, 56 were constructed with indoor gardens done, showing an indoor garden construction ratio of 38%. In terms of the number of service areas with indoor gardens in expressway, Gyeongbu Expressway had the largest number of 16 areas. This was followed by 10 in Jungang Highway, 8 in the Jungbunaeryuk Expressway, 6 in the Seohaean Expressway, 4 in the Namhae Expressway, 4 in the Youngdong Expressway, 3 in the Donghaean Expressway, 3 in Tongyeong-daejeon Jungbu Expressway, and 2 in Honam Expressway. Thirty five service areas in expressway were constructed with natural flowers, 7 service areas were decorated with artificial flowers, and 14 service areas were arranged with both natural and artificial flowers. Most of the indoor gardens in the expressway were constructed in the restroom space, 47 in the men’s restroom and 50 in the women’s restroom. The indoor garden landscape in the expressway service area was all designed as a fixed garden type, except for three places composed of portable planters. There were 19 families, 27 genera, and 30 species of plants found in the indoor gardens in the expressway service areas.