Seoul Unveils Three Urban-Friendly Smoking Booth Designs Centered on Public Consideration
- The Seoul Metropolitan Government has unveiled three “Seoul-style Smoking Booth” designs to address social conflict and visual disorder caused by unregulated smoking in urban areas.
- The booths are available in three types—Open, Semi-Open, and Enclosed—based on citizen feedback and expert consultation, balancing public utility and functional efficiency.
- A pilot installation will begin on April 26 at Cheongnyangni Station Square, with official design guidelines to be distributed in May for adoption by local districts and private facilities.
- This initiative aims to safeguard public health, enhance the city's aesthetic quality, and improve the overall street environment through thoughtful public design.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has unveiled three new “Seoul-style Smoking Booth” designs that reflect the city’s commitment to improving the urban environment while prioritizing the health, safety, and comfort of its citizens. These standardized booths aim to address secondhand smoke exposure and visual clutter caused by unregulated public smoking.
Smoking-related conflicts and the lack of unified booth designs have long been cited as issues in Seoul’s urban landscape, particularly in dense business districts and tourist-heavy areas.
This is especially apparent in high-rise commercial zones and tourist destinations, where designated smoking areas are limited.
To prevent indiscriminate smoking in public corners and create a more pleasant tourism environment, the city developed a set of standardized booth designs tailored for urban spaces.
The booths incorporate flexible structures adapted to local conditions, and consider landscape, pedestrian flow, and technical features. This standardization is intended to reduce secondhand smoke exposure and promote an orderly urban environment.
The city conducted interviews with citizens to understand actual usage behavior, and refined the design through expert advisory meetings to achieve both functionality and visual harmony. Based on existing booth conditions across districts, three types were developed.
The three finalized types—Open, Semi-Open, and Enclosed—are designed for selective installation based on each site's function and surroundings.
The Open Type features minimal structure and is ideal for visually open spaces such as parks or cultural sites. Its modular panel system allows for flexible on-site assembly.
The Semi-Open Type balances visual privacy and openness, making it suitable for government and commercial areas. The Enclosed Type is fully sealed with enhanced ventilation systems for dense locations. Both come in three widths—10m, 7m, and 5m—for flexible deployment in tight spaces.
The designs emphasize harmony with the urban environment. Exteriors feature neutral tones and glass-metal materials to minimize visual impact. Interior features include smoking-type zones, automatic doors, cigarette disposal units, and anti-smoking messaging.
Both the Semi-Open and Enclosed booths include ashtrays made using recycling technologies to enhance their environmental value. The Enclosed Type is equipped with state-of-the-art air purification systems to minimize secondhand smoke exposure and reduce public conflict.
The booths are also designed for durability and ease of maintenance. Components are modular for quick replacement, with separate access routes for managers. Frosted glass and a restrained layout guide natural flow and provide visual separation between users and passersby, encouraging more orderly smoking behavior.
The city will begin a pilot installation of the Enclosed Type booth at Cheongnyangni Station Square in Dongdaemun-gu starting April 26 (Monday). A comprehensive Seoul-style Smoking Booth Design Guideline will be released in May to support voluntary adoption by districts and private facilities.
Choi Inkyu, Director-General of the Design Policy Bureau at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated:
“Rather than hiding or avoiding the issue, we developed the Seoul-style smoking booths to actively improve the street environment. We sincerely hope that all citizens will join in creating a cleaner and more orderly street culture through active cooperation.”
