"How can design change the city?"… Pre-registration opens for the 'Seoul International Design Forum’
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced that pre-registration for the 2024 Seoul Design International Forum, set to take place on November 27th, will begin on November 7th. The forum will be held at the Art Hall 2 of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), focusing on the theme "Designing the City of the Future."
The city has been actively working to enhance Seoul's urban competitiveness and create a "Design Seoul" where citizens can participate through design. The annual Seoul Design International Forum (SDIF) has been held to further advance Seoul as a "design city."
Now in its fifth year, the SDIF 2024 will serve as a platform for renowned domestic and international experts to discuss ways to strengthen global design capabilities and improve the quality of urban life through design.
Citizens interested in attending can register for free online or offline. Those wishing to attend can pre-register through the forum's website (https://sdif.org) from November 7th to 22nd.
For more details, please visit the forum website. Pre-registered participants will receive forum materials via email or mobile. Those unable to attend in person can watch the live stream on the official Seoul City YouTube channel (both Korean and English).
‣ Seoul City YouTube Channel (Korean): https://www.youtube.com/@seoullive
‣ Seoul City YouTube Channel (English): https://www.youtube.com/@SeoulCityOfficial
The forum will consist of two sessions, beginning with an opening address by Seoul Mayor Oh, Se-hoon, followed by a special discussion and keynote speeches. A total of 12 domestic and international speakers will deliver presentations and participate in discussions, sharing various experiences and insights on the theme of "Designing the City of the Future." A Q&A session will allow for direct interaction with the audience.
The special discussion will feature Mayor Oh, Se-hoon, Peter Zec, Founder and CEO of Red Dot GmbH & Co. KG (one of the world's three major design awards), and Craig Kiner, Associate Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, who designed DDP. They will discuss the topic of "Landmarks, the Engine of Urban Competitiveness."
Peter Zec has served as President of the International Design Alliance (IDeA) and Vice Chairman of the Seoul International Business Advisory Council (SIBAC). Craig Kiner, Associate Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, oversaw the DDP project and has designed buildings such as the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in Michigan and the Masaryk Railway Station in Prague.
Starting at 1 pm, the first session will feature a keynote speech by Peter Zec, followed by the second session with a keynote speech by Birgit Mager, President of the Service Design Network. Birgit Mager is currently a professor at the Köln International School of Design(KISD) in Germany.
The first session, titled "Empowering Global Design Capabilities through Urban Initiatives," will include presentations by Craig Kiner of Zaha Hadid Architects, designer Sang Lee (author of "AI Works and Humans Grow"), and Chris van Duijn, Partner of OMA. The session will be moderated by Professor Hyun-kyung Lee of Yonsei University, who will be joined b Junggi Sung, the first Korean designer at IDEO, and Dahyoung Chung, co-artistic director of the Korean Pavilion at the 25th Venice Architecture Biennale.
Sang Lee s a renowned designer recognized by the US tech and design industries. He has served as the design leader at TikTok, a global short-form video platform, and held director positions at Google and Microsoft.
Chris van Duijn, Partner at OMA, is spearheading the design for the new Hongik University Seoul Campus, and architectural projects in the NEOM development in Saudi Arabia. He has also been involved in projects such as Fondazione Prada in Milan, Axel Springer Campus in Berlin, Galleria Department Store in Gwanggyo, and Simone Veil Bridge in Bordeaux.
The second session, titled "Designing for a Sustainable Future," will feature presentations by Jeffrey T.K. Valino Koh, Centre Head & Associate professor of Design Factory @ Singapore Institute of Technology and Design, and Kaya Kim, a specialist at LG Electronics' Design Management Center. Professor Hyosun Kwon of Kookmin University will serve as moderator, joined by the speakers and Jeong-yeon Lee, a professor at the Seoul Media Institute of Technology.
Jeffrey T.K. Valino Koh is a multidisciplinary experiential designer currently serving as a centre head & associate professor of Design Factory @ Singapore Institute of Technology.
Kaya Kim a leading figure in AI design and strategy, is a specialist at LG Electronics' Design Management Center. Her previous experience includes leading the design team at Volkswagen's software center. Kaya has been recognized for her contributions to the field, as evidenced by her keynote speech at Harvard University and the multiple awards she received from LG Electronics and the LG Group in 2023.
Choi In-kyu, Director of Design Policy, stated, "This year's forum will be a meaningful opportunity to contemplate and discuss the role of design in improving citizens' quality of life and driving urban competitiveness. We hope that through this forum, we can raise awareness of Seoul's design and take a step further towards becoming a leading design city."
