Seoul Design
International Forum
서울디자인국제포럼

[2023 Seoul Design International Forum] Enjoying nature and the leisure of life in the heart of Seoul, “Open Songhyun Green Plaza Soul Drops Bench”

Hello everyone! I am Choi Jiwon, who has been active as a supporter of the [2023 Seoul Design International Forum (SDIF)]. I am a person who is interested in spaces and lives that give people healing and leisure as innovative ideas in the public realm. I applied for the supporter with a strong will, and I am grateful that I was accepted. From now on, I would like to introduce you to the “Seoul Design” that allows you to take a break from your busy daily life, refresh the world, and enjoy a human-centered city and life, and “public design places” that reflect Seoul Design. What is Seoul Design? Seoul's design vision is to address the challenges facing communities around the world and to enhance the city's competitiveness and create a happy life for everyone. Seoul Design is based on four principles: First, it develops creative and sustainable design solutions to solve various problems encountered in daily life, creating a safe, convenient, and mutually beneficial urban environment. Second, it leads the world by reflecting innovative technologies and the unique characteristics of the city through design. Third, it increases the number of distinctive design contents in everyday life, satisfying the emotions of citizens and providing an impressive experience to attract the city's charm. Fourth, it aims to create a design community in which many people, including experts, industry, and citizens, participate and think together.

[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.

Seoul City's "Yes! Kids Zone!" has won a prestigious global design award

- 'Adolescents Obesity Problem Solution Design' wins prestigious award from US-based DMI (Design Management Institute) in 2023 - First Domestic award for a 'Public Institution'... Design encourages voluntary activities with exploration concepts from five countries - The city vows to continue expanding lifestyle design to support healthy and stable life across all stages of life.

2023 Seoul Design International Forum for Urban Design for Humans - Humanising Cities: Humans • Design • Cities

At first glance, I thought the topic of the forum was very ironic. Why this topic? When 'humanizing' is interpreted, it means 'a city from a human/human perspective', and the fact that it reminds us of this proposition, which was taken for granted, can also be interpreted as showing that there have been shortcomings and regrets in becoming a 'human-centered city'. am. In that respect, the 2023 Seoul Design International Forum, held at the multipurpose hall on the 8th floor of the main building of Seoul City Hall on September 14, was meaningful in reaffirming the value standards and basic discourse for urban design. This event, which was held simultaneously online and offline, consisted of lectures by seven speakers over five hours, and talks in which all speakers participated. This year, Thomas Heatherwick, founder of Heatherwick Studio, Shigeru Ban, a famous disaster architect, and architect Mijin Yoon, dean of Cornell University and co-representative of Höweler+Yoon Architecture, who has worked on many public design projects, participated. Domestic speakers included Choi So-hyun, head of Naver's design and marketing division, Maum Studio CEO Lee Dal-woo, and Unique Good Company co-CEO Song In-hyuk.

[2023 Seoul International Design Forum] Environmentally Characteristic Space, Maeumpul Seoul Metropolitan Mullae Youth Center

Hello! I am Park Jun-hee, a supporter of the 2023 Seoul Design International Forum. First, let's learn about Seoul Design! What is Seoul Design? Seoul Design is Seoul's vision for design, which responds to the challenges facing communities due to various global issues. It aims to enhance the city's competitiveness and ensure that everyone can live a happy life. Seoul Design develops creative and sustainable design solutions to address various problems faced in everyday life. It creates a safe, convenient, and inclusive urban environment. It is truly amazing that Seoul is leading the world with its design that reflects innovative technologies and the city's unique characteristics. By creating more distinctive design content in everyday life, Seoul Design satisfies the senses of citizens and provides memorable experiences, which in turn enhances the city's appeal. Through events that carry such meaning and content, Seoul Design aims to create a design community where experts, businesses, and citizens can participate and collaborate together.

Asking about the past, present, and future of cities. [2023 Seoul Design International Forum, Humanising Cities:Human•Design•City] Inside the lively scene!

Hello! I am Miyeon Kim, a supporter of the 2023 Seoul Design International Forum. Do you know about Seoul Design (www.sdif.org) and the Seoul Design International Forum? Seoul Design is a vision for Seoul that responds to the challenges facing the community due to various global issues, enhances the competitiveness of the city, and allows everyone to live a happy life. Seoul Design also aims to: - Develop creative and sustainable design solutions to solve the various problems that people face in their daily lives, creating a safe, convenient, and sustainable urban environment. - Lead the world's cities through design that reflects innovative technologies and the city's unique characteristics. - Increase the number of distinctive design contents in everyday life, satisfying the emotions of citizens and providing impressive experiences to drive the city's attractiveness. - Be a design community in which many people, including experts, industry, and citizens, participate and discuss together. Last year, the 2022 Seoul Design International Forum was held under the theme of "How Design Enrichs the Future." This year, it was held under the theme of "Humanising Cities:Human•Design•City" Under the vision of a human-centered city, we looked back on how Seoul was illuminated and shared our opinions to increase the competitiveness of the city. The Seoul Design International Forum, which is held every year based on the Seoul design I introduced earlier! It was held face-to-face for the first time in four years since COVID-19, with expert speakers from all over the world, and we vividly captured the scene!

The Innovative City for the Next Generation(the MZ Generation): Advancing Towards Ultra Connectivity and the Real World

Space defines an experience. At a café, we drink a beverage. In a museum, we see exhibits. People have the same experience at a specific space and sometimes need to stand in a long line. No one think this is weird. On the other hand, for spaces in a movie or a video game we enjoy on a daily basis, a content defines an experience. The main character may stay in a space where a fantasy adventure unfolds or where characters play cat and mouse with each other in a spectacular event. The same space can be a world where so many stories turn into reality. What would happen if the two worlds are merged into one? What would happen if our world turns into a huge playground and all of us become main characters of an exciting story? What would happen if you can share the experience you have had in a movie or a video game with people in a real world? To prove these hypotheses, I would like to guide you to a space which was once an unattractive neighborhood filled with factories and vehicles but is now a must-go place for MZ generation, and a space where once dull and inactive places have become popular spots for a lot of visitors and even a city-wide festival.

Going Public

The public realm is not a default condition, but rather something which must be actively produced, designed, and constructed. How we design it has the capacity to transform how we identify ourselves as part of a collective society, how we form common values and common ground, and how the notion of “the public” is constituted—to design for the public realm is also to design a public through that realm. Today, it is a site of overlapping constituencies, interests and stakeholders that create a layered set of complex interests constantly in negotiation. Because design is inherently specific, we value this specificity to make meaning, engage audiences, and create place. In this lecture, J. Meejin Yoon will present projects that address the public realm as a site of negotiation and formation, where placemaking, activation and design intersect to produce the “urban alchemy” of the contemporary city. This lecture will demonstrate how design has the capacity to engage the public and transform the public realm.

Design Seoul 2.0 Design Policy and Future Strategies

What projects does the Seoul Metropolitan Government pursue to create a ‘fun and vibrant city of Seoul’? The Seoul Metropolitan Government is actively pursuing the 「Design Seoul 2.0 Project」 in its endeavor to establish ‘Seoul as a fun and vibrant city’. This comprehensive plan focused on propelling Seoul into a top 5 global city characterized by an abundance of vitality and charm. The objective is to create a city that is cherished by global citizens, a city where the creativity of its citizens is fully realized, and a city that adheres to global standards while preserving Seoul’s unique identity. To achieve this vision, ‘Active Seoul’ is based on five principles which are empathetic, inclusive, contribution, resilient, and sustainable design. The following is an overview of project initiatives. ① Empathetic design that feels pride and pleasure in the uniqueness of Seoul. ② Inclusive design for everyone. ③ Contribution design created by citizens and businesses together. ④Resilient design responsible for the safety and health of citizens. ⑤ Sustainable design that saves the environment and economy. Further details of the project will be outlined based on these five principles.

From Ideas to Implementation, Transforming Limits into Opportunities in Design

An inclusive city through practical design solutions With plummeting global population, we are heading toward an era where people establish their own worldviews. Wouldn’t we be able to embrace the city we are living in today a little more if we realize our ideas into practice and talk about the warmth of the world? Let’s talk about the seven key words of love, memory, enjoyment, respect, imagination, value, and nature.

Role of Design: Assist Co-existence of People / Environment / Technology

In a rapidly changing technology era, and in a world where online and offline experiences are interconnected, what kind of role should design play in providing experiences for users, such as citizens, members, clients? Let’s discuss the role through space/architecture cases of NAVER. I will introduce to you several cases regarding the company’s office space “NAVER 1784,” training center “Connect One” in Chuncheon, and data centers in Chuncheon and Sejong each, all of which are outcomes of the following: connection of convergence technologies and users; enhanced user experiences; contemplation on the environment and alternatives; and study on roles and responsibilities of businesses.

The Social Role of Architects

Presentation will be mainly divided into three topics: 1. Investigating potential of paper tube as structure - Paper is typically seen as something weak without its own strength. I will explain about how I started using paper tubes as architectural element, challenges I went through, and how something so seemingly weak can become something so strong and durable. 2. Architectural and Design Works - Architecture plays a vital role as part of our city. They in fact make up and define the city. I will explain some of the major architectural works, from small to large scale projects. I will also show a number of projects with timber structure. Timber is one of many materials from the nature, and is known to be very environmentally friendly (for example emits much less CO2 than concrete and steel).

Humanising our Cities

Heatherwick Studio believes that emotion is the crucial ingredient that is missing in so much of design today. When did everything become so boring and homogenous? Who is really thinking about how to make buildings, places and objects mean something to us - to lift our spirits and connect us? How can we make our cities more human? World-renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick will outline his thoughts around how designers and policy makers can create more human places, and explain how a fundamental understanding of emotion has shaped how Heatherwick Studio works across all scales and typologies. Thomas Heatherwick is one of the UK’s most prolific designers, whose varied work over two decades is characterised by its originality, inventiveness and humanity. Defying conventional classifications, Thomas founded his studio in 1994 to bring together architecture, urban planning, product design and interiors into a single creative workspace. Working across multiple scales, locations and typologies, Heatherwick Studio has developed into a team of 200 makers and inventors with no signature style. Lead by human experience rather than any fixed dogma, the studio create emotionally compelling places and objects with the smallest possible climate shadow. From their base in London, the studio team is currently working on over 30 projects in ten countries, including Azabudai Hills, a six-hectare mixed-use development in the centre of Tokyo, the new headquarters for Google in Silicon Valley and London (in collaboration with Bjarke Ingels Group) and Airo, an electric car that cleans the air as it drives. The studio has also recently completed Little Island, a park and performance space on the Hudson River in New York; the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town; and Coal Drops Yard, a major new retail district in King’s Cross, London. Thomas’ forthcoming book, Humanise, will be published by Penguin in 2023

2023 Seoul Design International Forum 'Seoul Mind Garden Guro Family Counseling Center where you can take care of a healthy mind'

Hello, I'm Lee Ju-young, and I'm a supporter of the 2023 Seoul Design International Forum. Today, let's check what Seoul Design is and the Mind garden that applies Seoul Design with me. What about Seoul Design International Forum? The Seoul Design International Forum is held every year. The 2022 Seoul Design International Forum held last year was a forum under the theme of "Design x Seoul: How Design Enrichs the Future." Through various urban examples, we were able to learn how design can be combined with municipal areas such as welfare, culture, and transportation. The 2023 Seoul Design International Forum "Humanizing Cities: Human, Design, City" is with global designers, architects, and experts, you will be able to learn about the role of public design as an "urban alchemist" who can promote new experiences in the public realm, create memories, and even drive the city's competitiveness through collective memory.

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.

Thomas Heatherwick: Capturing Emotions

“Emotions are a very important element that makes architecture meaningful. The emotions embedded in architecture lift people’s spirits and form a connection between people. The emotional impact of architecture on us is enormous – Thomas Heather Wick." “Thomas Heatherwick” is considered to be one of the most notable and genius designers among contemporary British designers, to the point where he is nicknamed ‘Britain’s Da Vinci.’ As one of the world's most prolific designers, he has created 'Heather Wick'-like works that combine his unrivaled genius and passionate humanity through his diverse work over the past 20 years. Thomas Heatherwick founded “Heatherwick Studio” in 1994 to create more creative work that crosses all boundaries, including urban planning, architecture, interior design, and product design. Headquartered in King's Cross, London, we employ around 200 architects, designers, craftsmen and technicians.

Seoul Design International Forum 2023

Seoul Metropolitan Government has been carrying out discussions on the present and the future of the design of Seoul that is desired by citizens through the Seoul Design International Forum. We would like to carry out discussions on how our city, Seoul, is currently being illuminated with participants by inviting the best-in class speakers who are global designers, architects and experts in the field, under the vision of 'Humanising Cities' that is not being prioritized at all while being taken for granted. Moreover, we believe that you will be able to promote new experiences and generate new memories in the public realm through this forum, and we think you will be able to gain strong insights on the role of public design as the 'alchemist of the city' that can strongly enhance even the competitiveness of the city through that collective memory. It is no exaggeration to say that today's city is the most powerful online/offline platform that enables hyperconnectivity. We hope that Seoul Design International Forum to be held on September 14th will be a precious venue to imagine innovative ideas together and apply them to the public realm.

Design for All: A Visit to the Pedestrian Pathways in Olympic Park

What is Seoul Design? Seoul Design is a design version of Seoul that increases the competitiveness of the city and allows anyone to lead a happy life in response to the challenges faced by the community due to various global issues. To solve various problems encountered in everyday life, we develop creative and sustainable design solutions to create a safe, convenient, and win-win urban environment. Using public design technology, we are leading the world city through innovative technologies and designs that reflect the unique characteristics of the city, and forming a design community that is considered together by many experts, industries, and citizens. As a student majoring in architectural engineering, I think the public design and the Seoul design policy of Seoul City around us are valuable resources that make life convenient for many citizens.