Universal design of Yokohama City Current events in design
The evolution of universal design in Japan Yokohama City is an area with a population of 3.77 million. Its area is about three quarters of Seoul, and it is divided into 18 wards. It started with a population of 500 150 years ago, and after the port was established, the population increased. However, the rapid population increase between 1960 and 1970 caused problems in urban development. Yokohama is currently a city with a significant aging population. Although this is a problem for Japan as a whole, based on the analyzed data, the population growth trend of Yokohama City is expected to peak in 2019. After that, the proportion of the elderly population is expected to continue to increase, and it is expected that one-third of the total population will be elderly by 2030. Looking at the map showing the aging population, it is like looking at the history of how Yokohama's housing development has taken place. The beginning of universal design in Japan was triggered by the Tokyo Olympics 50 years ago. The Tokyo Olympics, held in 1964, introduced the use of pictograms to solve the problem of communicating with foreigners. In 1965, Braille blocks were introduced, and actual installation began in 1967. In 1969, awareness of the need to make the city accessible to wheelchairs increased. Braille blocks were first introduced in the provincial cities to the western part of japan, which is also the case with barrier-free access in Japan, which started in provincial cities rather than the capital.Where to go this September? Let’s explore the 2025 Seoul Design International Forum! (Program & Speaker Information / Pre-registration Link)
Hello, this is Sseugo! Today, I’d like to introduce you to the 2025 Seoul Design International Forum. Just like I always check the table of contents before diving into a book, I prefer to glance through the overview before joining an event. So, as one of the official supporters of the 2025 Seoul Design International Forum, I’ve put together all the key information for you!Invisible Landmark
Chris van Duijn of OMA critically examines the role of landmark architecture in urban contexts, challenging traditional notions of visual expression to advocate for the concept of the “invisible landmark”. Through recent case studies - including the expansion of the Hongik University Seoul Campus and Simone Veil Bridge in Bordeaux - van Duijn illustrates how landmark projects can enhance a city by prioritizing community engagement, functionality, and flexibility over mere aesthetic statements.
Panel Discussion
The theme of the 2021 Seoul Design Forum is Re-Connect: Design as a Value Creator. If the main purpose of design is to create new value, what value creation should design focus on, unlike value creation in other areas? We wonder what the difference will be in terms of value creation from a corporate or public perspective.From Ideas to Implementation, Transforming Limits into Opportunities in Design
There is a slogan pursued by the design studio, Maum Studio. The slogan is Love, Play and Heart. We emphasize this slogan because Maum Studio believes that ‘ideas are equivalent to stories’. Today, I would like to take the time for us to all resonate about how story-based anecdotes implemented in Maum Studio started small and grew to become bigger. Against this backdrop, I would like to introduce the projects of Maum Studio centering on various keywords.
Development of Participatory Universal Design Culture
The Center operates civic participation groups to consider the “viewpoint of the weak” or the “viewpoint of the citizens.” The first civic participation group recruited last year monitored eight public facilities in Seoul, including Donuimun Museum Village, Oil Tank Culture Park, and the Seoul Museum of History. The second civic participation group this year is visiting facilities that are close to the people of Seoul, such as the Sejong-daero Walkway in Gwanghwamun, Jongmyo Shrine, Yejang Park, and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. The civic participation group uploads posts about the benefits or improvements that are needed for each place they monitor on social media or blogs to share information with the people.