Cases
Safety
-
The Change of Daily Life, Social Problem Solving Design in Seoul
Paradigm change in public design and the emergence of social problem-solving design Seoul is the political, economic, social and cultural center of Korea. Korea industrialized in a short period of time due to a period of rapid economic growth that is sometimes called the ‘miracle on the Han River’. Although the brand value of Seoul might have risen, has the quality of life of citizens improved along with it? -
Policy direction identified from the analysis of the diffusion process of Life Safety (Crime Prevention) Design
The anonymous cities that we have been building allowed us to have maximum freedom and make various choices, however, inappropriately, the cities have mercilessly reduced many alternative choices such as collective community action that were available in the past. Only for the limited purpose of reviving the collective environment, physical design of living environment must be used. -
[Abstract] Design with 10%
<Bridging the Gap of Experience> The gap of experience refers to the disparity that arises in the process of using products and services when designers and users come from different backgrounds and life experiences. Can a designer ever fully understand the user? If it were a product made solely for oneself, perhaps it would be possible. However, in designs intended for others—especially for the majority—it is almost impossible for a designer to completely understand all users. The smaller the experience gap, the higher the level of user satisfaction. This is because the better a designer understands the user’s circumstances and context, the more accurately they can create what the user truly needs. Conversely, when the gap is large, it is difficult to satisfy users. Therefore, the designer’s goal must be to reduce the gap of experience.
Civil Rights & Education
-
2020 Seoul Design International Forum - Universal Design
2020 서울디자인국제포럼 -
Universal Design Policy in Seoul
Seoul's design policy has been in place since 2007. The city’s design policy has been trying to make a cleaner and more sophisticated city, through measures such as improving signage and reorganizing facilities. From 2008 to 2010, the Seoul Design Olympics were held, and in 2010, Seoul was selected as the World Design Capital. For the past 10 years, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has implemented policies focusing on facilities for the disabled through its building certification system for the convenient city life of a wide variety of citizens. With the design policy based on these legal standards, the comfort of citizens has been improved, but it centered on the disabled, and there were cases where public in general was not taken into consideration. This was part of the background for Seoul introducing universal design. The composition of Seoul citizens is also diversifying. As of 2016, the elderly population in Seoul was about 1.28 million, 12.5% of the total population, and by 2027, one in five people is expected to belong to that category. As the number of foreign visitors and the multicultural population continues to increase, this is also becoming an important consideration in Seoul's policies. The diversity of citizens requires more consideration, and Seoul introduced universal design to respect the diversity of all citizens. -
Universal Design City, Seoul
The city of Seoul started an urban design project in 2007. Within the signage maintenance project, public facilities that were chaotically installed on the streets were integrated, and efforts have been made to transform Seoul into a cleaner and more sophisticated city. The Seoul Design Olympiad, held from 2008 to 2010, was a comprehensive design festival that showed the will and vision of Seoul to challenge beyond design. In 2009, the Seoul Design Foundation was established to support projects such as the operation of the DDP, design research, commercialization, and international events. In 2010, Seoul was selected as the ‘World Design Capital’. ‘Seoul Design Week’ has been held yearly since 2015, to revitalize the design industry by holding conferences, expositions, exhibitions, and markets.
Health & Wellbeing
-
Universal Design for Leisure Facilities Cities
User survey for ski resort design reflecting universal design In 1998, at the Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano, 710 disabled skiers were surveyed on the perception and environment of skiing. The response rate was 35%, and the number of answers returned was 261. Interesting answers from the survey include "Skiing is a leisure activity, not a rehabilitation treatment," "I can't move my legs, but I can feel the speed," and "I can enjoy it fully without worrying about being compared to others because I'm exercising privately." In other words, skiing is an easy sport for anyone with any disability to try, and the number of elderly beginner skiers and skiers with disabilities might be expected to increase in the future. -
[2023 Seoul International Design Forum] Space for Seniors' Health: 100-Year Courtyard
Hello everyone! I was selected as a Seoul Design International Forum supporter, and I recently visited the "100-Year Courtyard" located at the Songpa Senior Comprehensive Welfare Center, one of the many places in Seoul that use design. As you know, outdoor activities have been restricted for a while due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This can be dangerous as it can have a serious impact on the health of the elderly. In particular, dementia is a serious health issue that is emerging in the elderly population these days, and the risk of dementia is higher if you are less active outdoors. In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has created a space design called "100-Year Courtyard" to help adults grow their physical, emotional, and social health. -
2023 Seoul Design International Forum - <Mind Garden>, a Seoul-style counseling space where you take care of your heart and take care of it with a counselor
Hello, everyone! I'm Jae-in, and I'm working as an online supporter for the 2023 Seoul Design International Forum. The Seoul Design International Forum, held in Seoul on September 14, 2023, is an event that brings together top speakers from world-class designers, architects, and experts to discuss the present and future of Seoul's design that citizens want, under the vision of "Humanizing Cities." The forum focused on the role of public design as an "urban alchemist" who can promote new experiences in the public realm, generate memories, and even drive the city's competitiveness through collective memory. What is public design here, It is a design method to improve everyday life and enhance citizens' convenience and happiness by designing public places, facilities, and environments. It is applied across various areas, such as urban planning, transportation systems, and public facilities, to improve the development of the city and the quality of life of its citizens. Public design creates social values and effects in various aspects based on user-centered principles. This is often done through civic participation and collaboration and is recognized as part of efforts to make the city a more pleasant and sustainable space. I'm very excited about the Seoul Design International Forum in the future. If you want to know more about the Seoul Design International Forum, please check the link below. www.sdif.org
Transportation
-
Seoul Launches Unified Public Transportation Brand ‘GO SEOUL’ - Set to Become an Icon of the City
- Applicable to four modes of transportation covered by the Climate Companion Card: buses, subways, public bikes (Ddareungi), and Han River buses - ‘GO’ combined with the infinity symbol (∞) symbolizes the endlessly connected and evolving nature of Seoul’s transport - Expected to serve both as a symbol of convenience for citizens and a representative icon of the city, akin to the London Roundel - Mayor Oh: “GO SEOUL will play a key role in enhancing Seoul’s design-driven identity and global competitiveness.” -
A Study on the Application of Universal Design for Urban Mobility of Buses - Seoul Design Foundation
The 'Universal Design Application Study for Urban Mobility of Buses', a collaborative study by Seoul Design Research Center’s TBS Research Center, Professor Young-Jun Koh of Seoul National University of Science and Technology and Professor Min-Hyeon Choi of Sungshin Women's University, started in June 2016 is expected to run until December 2016. The study aims to apply universal design principles to buses, bus stops, and bus operation information, establish a future bus service scenario study, and to study universal design in smart bus usage information. The ultimate goal is to generate universal design guidelines for buses and bus stops, universal design guidelines for operation information services, and near-future bus service scenarios. This study was based on preliminary studies including, 'Criteria for standard low-floor bus model (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 2016)', 'Accessible bus stop design guidance (Transport for London, 2014)', 'Japanese standard specification low-floor bus guideline', 'LinkNYC (New York, USA) as well as 'Maps related to domestic and foreign bus use'. In order to identify the applicable factors, domestic and foreign bus usage surveys were conducted, by visiting Seoul, Japan (Fukuoka, Kyoto, Osaka), and London, UK. Bus stop facilities, and operation information at bus stops were the subject of the survey. In the case of domestic buses, it was found that the vertical handle in front of the wheelchair user area of the bus creates difficulties for wheelchair movement. The wheelchair lift operation sequence was difficult to understand as the instructions were only given in text. It was found that electric wheelchairs could be dangerous because they could not be fixed to the bus. -
Multi-faceted Valuation of Social Problem Solving Design: Focused on the Case of Seoul
In the past, public design was understood as an urban environment, building, appearance, and landscape-oriented design activity, but today's social problems are much more complex, personal, and diverse. Therefore, attention is being paid to the necessity and importance of solving social problems in various areas, and in the past, space, reliability, and expertise were emphasized, so expert-centered solutions were attempted, but now residents, who have social problems, are approaching them. Citizens' participation is becoming very important because the residents know the problem best and it is something that should be applied after solving the problem together. This trend has been specified in both the public design promotion plans and the legal aspect, and has already stipulated many changes. In keywords such as development, physical environment, and top-down processes that appeared in the past, cooperation and service-side software are emphasized, and most importantly, the process is led by the people on problems that occur in our daily lives. Now, social issues are shifting toward regenerating existing communities rather than creating new buildings.
Living Environment
-
Seoul transforms 'Runner Station' construction site into MZ Holin's 'attraction fence'
- Works by popular MZ generation artists on display from 3.29~4.14 at the construction site inside Yeouinaru Station - Construction site fence as a FUN space instead of a disconnecting space...Opportunity for emerging artists to participate in public design - Seoul, "Attraction fence that provides daily 'fun' to citizens... Expected to be utilized as an exotic photo spot" -
The value of experience design that drives city brands
We establish relationships with brands through certain experiences, and all people are connected to brands. A brand, in itself, signifies the internal standard and pillar of external practice, and branding refers to proving the reasons for existence and the uniqueness of the subject, creating and protecting principles and standards, and practicing these to live independently within a relationship. -
Smart Home's Directions in Untact Society
Due to the contagiousness of the COVID-19 virus, the number of infected patients is increasing, and the resulting decline in social interactions is leading to a global economic crisis. Social distancing means that face-to-face contact with others is considered dangerous, and recommends staying at home as much as possible and refraining from outside activities such as going to work, eating out and shopping. The crisis of COVID-19, which is ongoing, is urging the transition to a non-face-to-face culture and society. Housing in the non-face-to-face society needs to be redefined with a new concept and function. Nowadays, when we think that a smart home can offer the possibility of an alternative, we understand it as a house that can provide convenience in our lives based on cutting-edge information and communication technology. However, this definition of a smart home is rather clichéd and indistinct, and I don't think it accurately describes the essence of a smart home. In the 1990s, there was already an intelligent home, and in the 2000s, the term ubiquitous home was used. In the 2010s, the smart home appeared, and they are all defined and used with almost the same concept. If the “homes” mentioned above have passed without becoming reality, can a smart home, which is being developed with the same concept, be an alternative in this era?
Social service
-
[2023 Seoul International Design Forum] Visited the 'Yes! Kids Zone' Designed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Experienced Public Design!
Yes! Kids Zone is a space designed to address the growing problems of obesity, depression, and lethargy among adolescents who have limited opportunities for physical activity due to their academic-oriented lifestyle. Yes! Kids Zone is located in Hanti Park and the surrounding school routes, and is located right in front of the Daechi Police Station. -
Diffusion of Universal Design Culture: Seoul Universal Design Award
The SMG was the first public institution to promote industries related to universal design by establishing the Seoul Universal Design Award (SUDA) and holding its first public contest in 2021. -
[Abstract] Designing Cities for People & Planet: From Vision to Impact
• Brief introduction of our mission at Gehl (Making Cities for People), incl. working for cities and communities to be equitable, healthy and sustainable places for all. • Argue why urban design must shift from infrastructure-led models to human-centered approaches and call for holistic approaches that not only aim at good design of public spaces but also contribute to greater societal goals. • Today a stronger focus on “all life”/our planet the past couple of years to enable climate action and impact, though our approach to planning and design and “old” principles remains the same and are just as relevant today. • Across the world, we’re in a time of poly-crisis (climate change, energy transition, urban security) and since 70% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050, we need a new urban approach. • Helle will argue about the need for climate-aligned urbanism and that we at Gehl dare to believe that averting the worst of climate change can bring out the best in cities. • Illustrate how this will impact and change the way residents move, consume and live – with more time in active mobility together, more sharing of resources and more shared spaces.
Disaster response
-
Social Problem Solving Design, Reinforcement of Resiliency Capacity Through Design
The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis that no one has ever experienced. Existing social problems, such as economic recession, relative poverty, increased depression due to social isolation, and the intensification of suffering experienced by vulnerable groups such as infants, young children, the elderly, and the disabled, are being exacerbated by the pandemic. Medical staff and other members of society in various fields are making every effort to identify and deal with unpredictable situations in their respective positions, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government is also currently doing its best to overcome the Corona situation. We are now living in an era where problem-solving strategies are needed more than ever. There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift in policy to prevent and improve social problems that incur huge social costs, rather than reactive measures. Design is one of the main solutions to improve this, and it is a core competency and process that is already being used by many organizations and companies pursuing innovation as well as the public as a tool for solving problems. Through the social problem-solving design policy, the Seoul Metropolitan Government breaks away from the microscopic view of physical improvement and applies design to the overall municipal administration, designing a plan and process for problem-solving, and jointly solving it with various stakeholders. ‘Social resilience’ can be said to be the interaction between the vulnerability of a city and its resilience capacity. The vulnerability of a city is affected by many social problems inherent in the city, and the city's recovery capacity means the city's resources and systems that can overcome and solve these problems. Seoul Design wants to work together to increase the resilience of society so that our daily lives, which have been changed by non-contact, isolation, and social distancing, can be more closely connected. -
Architect in action, Shigeru Ban: The power of space and architecture
Can designers help humanity? I've had this thought before. If the Earth enters a post-apocalyptic era (like the destruction of the Earth or the end of humanity, which appears quite often in movies), only a small group of people who are essential for the survival of humanity can take shelter, cab architects or space designers should join that group? This is also a light question about whether architects or space designers are doing the work necessary for our society and humanity. Of course, my personal opinion is that they should join the group. First of all, it would be difficult to create a shelter without an architect or space expert. Otherwise, wouldn't the place become a crucible of chaos? The subtitle of the book <Paper Architecture in Action> (2019, Minumsa publishing) written by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is ‘What can architects do for society?’ From the public's point of view, rather than from the fields of architecture, space, or design, architecture is a tangible entity that creates the landscape of a city. Most people recognize architecture as a landmark, a base, or something that symbolizes something. The lifespan of architecture is also quite long, or more accurately, it should be long, so the experience of architecture is difficult to be fragmented or specific. -
The future of smart office, after COVID-19
The spread of the corona virus in 2020 has caused rapid changes in work patterns due to the normalization of working at home. Although there is a realistic limit to building a work environment with a specific concept in an unprepared situation, efforts are being made to respond to these changes in their own way, and each company needs time to compromise to create a safer work environment. It is time for designers to make efforts to find the interface between a space that harmoniously connects people and a space that prioritizes safety. Although it is necessary to change the philosophy of space itself, it is expected that human attempts to challenge the limits will continue.
Service & Innovation
-
2023 Seoul Design International Forum: New Universe, Docking Seoul
Seoul Design International Forum! Do you know about the Seoul Design International Forum? The Seoul Design International Forum is held every year, and it is a huge venue for expanding our view of design and moving in a better direction around the city. In the meantime, we have moved toward forming a consensus and spreading awareness of social problem-solving design through excellent policies such as social problem-solving design, universal design, and sharing success stories and know-how to improve citizens' lives, enhance city values, change citizens' daily lives, and experience concrete examples. -
Seoul to Promote Nationwide Collaboration with Metropolitan Governments through Design
- Seoul to provide its design development expertise and outputs to metropolitan governments across Korea - Support initiatives include matching design advisory groups, participation in development processes, provision of iF Design Award-winning "Fun Design Chairs," and joint project development - Applications open until Friday, May 16th, 2025 - Initiative aims to promote a governance model for the social co-utilization of Seoul’s design assets -
'Horizontal Trashcan", easy to dispose and convenient for collection... a makeover as a urban icon
- Seoul pilot installation of 30 horizontal trash cans in 15 urban centers with high foot traffic such as bus stops of City Hall and DDP - Developed design of trash cans such as Type A, which is a simple form, Type B, which has an expression with 'fun' points and specialized types - Evaluate aesthetics, convenience, cleanliness, and ease of collection to improve the design... expanded through autonomous districts - The City expects that "street horizontal trash cans that consider the urban environment and convenience will improve the quality of life of the city"