Arboretums started from a very practical dimension to cultivate decorative and edible plants as well as medicinal plants. But lately, with the plants displayed there, academic research is conducted, and also they play roles as social education institutions for education or enlightenment. Arboretums in Korea began to be formed genuinely after the mid-1980’s, and this is based on the improvement of consciousness about natural environment. This paper conducts theoretical consideration and also analysis on the plans and arrangement characteristics of overseas arboretums and draws implications in order to propose design plans for them. With the arboretums started to be formed in the early 1900’s in Korea, today various types of public, national, and private arboretums have come to be located nationwide. Due to the characteristics each has such as the location and facilities, they tend to be specialized; however, overseas arboretums still show considerable difference in terms of planning characteristics and programs and also their roles. Thereupon, with the design of Ecoplex, this study proposes an arboretum model that is faithful to their original purpose and represents their future value. The conclusion drawn from this study is as written below:
First, botanical gardens regarding research, education, rest and convenience, cultivation, or management are mostly characterized by various types of arrangement according to their environmental characteristics. Concerning domestic and overseas major arboretums’ arrangement characteristics, they tend to be planned in consideration of the influence of each one’s locational characteristics. Second, as specialization strategies for botanical garden planning, they plan greenhouses or major observation facilities as their specialized facilities, and this is being actively examined as a strategy to overcome demerits they might have for the climatic influence. Third, regarding arboretum planning, it is needed to have specialized exterior space planning for the complex. And organic human traffic planning harmonized with topography, research facilities, and the zoning plan differentiated from exhibition or educational facilities also influence users’ human traffic. Fourth, in the planning of chief facilities built in the arboretums, specialization strategies from the aspects of forms to use nature as their motif or aggressive induction of eco-friendly systems is expected to have characteristics to strengthen the arboretums’ environmentality.