The value of experience design that drives city brands
The 1st Pre-Forum for 2022 Seoul Design International Forum has obtained written consent from the speaker to publish the summarized and edited content
Presenter: Choi So-hyun (CEO of Perception)
City that is viewed from the perspective of brand
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.
What would it mean to view the city from the perspective of a brand?
City brand and experience include various areas and values in addition to what is visible.
New York of the U.S. was symbolized through the I♡NY slogan, symbol mark, skyscrapers, and busy movements of the Wall Street, but today, it has become a venue to carry out new discussions where people can share global concerns about the sustainable drivers of the future and the ecosystem. Las Vegas is no longer a city of casinos and traditional western films, but is emerging as a city of CES (Consumer Technology Association). Milano, the city of cultural heritage has become a city that creates new values for the future, design and cultural arts, and San Francisco with beautiful nature is securing influential power across the world through a program called Wizdom2.0 summit that finds the direction of life that excited the Silicon Valley. Davos, Switzerland enhanced the awareness of the city by holding a forum to enable discussions about the global economic flow. Cities create city brands and reach out to us through various contents that were mentioned above.
In addition, the appearance of an ideal city varies depending on our purpose for staying in a certain city. Impressive contents will be perceived as a strong city brand for tourists who stay for a short period of time, and for residents, city would become a companion that encompasses all aspects of clothing, food, housing, rest, beauty, joy and life (衣食住休美樂生) to create real life experience.
City branding is an activity that informs many in the vicinity of the city of the stories regarding the city, starting with considerations about the DNA of the city, and determines the values that are provided to a certain subject, while also enabling the experience to be sustained consistently. Brand experience for a city refers to activities that are seen, heard and experienced by people at all touchpoints within a city, and in order to create a new experience of the city that is generated through various contents today, in addition to conveying ideas through words, writing and images, those that are unseen should also be imagined and visualized.
Requirements for a sustainable city brand
For a brand to consider sustainability, a clear reason for the existence of the brand has to be firmly established, and this has to be followed by a consistent action to convey the identity. Sometimes, a brand would announce or promise that it will create a certain value for the people, but it is crucial to strive hard to create a sustainable ecosystem from a global perspective while adhering to the promises.
If so, how can a city brand become a sustainable brand?
Hardware, software and humanware all have to be looked into to establish an identity for a city. This would include various areas including people, history, culture, industry, place and potential. Furthermore, for a city to be maintained and to develop without faltering when it externally sends and receives a large amount of energy, solid identity and core values would ultimately have to be established, and this has to be created with and empathized by the members. A strong city brand that is formed as such would go beyond the country and culture to have a significance as an individual brand, and can evolve into a sturdy brand.
Today’s experience design of the city
We now have various choices of cities as a result of the advancement of technology, change in the way of working and recent change in the overall social consciousness. People started to embrace perspectives to predict the future and think about the next generation rather than evaluating the visible values, and consequently, a city brand should consider social responsibilities and roles and sustainability in the long-term from multiple perspectives. We have to observe multiple variables that influence the experience design of cities in detail. We should take a closer look at micro influential factors and changes in the macro sense such as hyperconnected society and climate crisis in addition to Covid-19 and digital transformation. Such social issues are maintained for a long time or accumulate to impact our lives, and lead to a change in our mindset and behaviors.
People are the entities that lead and enjoy the experience design of cities, and thus, change in human is a key variable that impacts the experience design of cities. Currently, the core generations in our society seem to differ but also share commonalities in that they prefer value consumption that aligns with the individual beliefs and various choices with a desire for direct engagement. We have to think deeply about creating an experience that is based on the empathic values while considering these people as the core members of the society.
In addition, stakeholder groups that we need to focus on in terms of brand has expanded as the world started to put more emphasis into the importance of public value and the global drive for inclusive society. Investment perspectives and the criteria for determining values are dependent on the amount of efforts that go into considering everyone and being attentive to the entire society, rather than just focusing on the interest of certain groups or regions. Based on such a diverse set of variables, we have to continuously ponder about the basis for creating the city experience.
City brand and experience design
- City and experience where multiple complex aspects have to be considered
Complex considerations have to be made to design a better experience for the city. We need an approach that covers resident population that reside in the city, the affiliated population that stays only temporarily or passes by the city, and the private space, public space, as well as the middle space. City brand should be able to create a new brand through curiosity and imagination to trigger another inspiration, and should improve the everyday lives while resolving fundamental issues. This should include the aforementioned hardware, software, and humanware that can be provided by the energy from people, and should also encompass all aspects of clothing, food, housing, rest, beauty, joy and life (衣食住休美樂生) and lives. In addition, since experience is felt not only through the sight, touch and hearing but also through complex senses, we first have to start from interest and observations about the people, themselves.
- Experience design for city brand
When we try to design something or try to create an experience, we tend to think about creating something new, something that does not currently exist, rather than focusing on something that is familiar or something that we are very proficient in. However, what we need in the cities today is more of a fundamental consideration on the ‘tasks that cities currently face’ including ‘deficiency’, rather than focusing on something that is indiscreetly new. When we look at it from the perspective of the ‘minimal life in which a human can live like a human’, there still are too many issues that exist in all parts of the society. The entire humanity also faced an issue due to Covid-19. In a city, there are teams that identify issues and enhance daily lives for universal design and the dignity of humans. These teams continuously raise issues about the established city environment and resolve them because we always hope for a better future, and pique curiosity and imagination so that we can prepare for a new future by resolving issues through designs.
The point where private and public areas meet in a city can be various experience solutions instead of an area that is disconnected. As an example, in the past, public open spaces were established out of a formality, in line with regulations, but now, these are being developed into space for private companies to build relationships and meanings in the region, and depending on the purpose, the lower parts of the buildings are left open to the citizens to portray the possibility of a middle space that can be used as an intersection between the public and the private sector. In addition to this, new areas of experience that design can be involved in does not necessarily have to engage with physical factors that can be seen and touched, but can create synergy with the existing design, like light and vibration, to expand into nontangible areas that can provide a more abundant experience. Senses do not work independently, and thus, various possibilities that can widen the spectrum of experience can be explored through experiences of complex senses.
- Case of city brand experience design
Every spring, in Austin, Texas, South by Southwest (SXSW) is held, which consists of the movies, interactives, music festivals and conferences. SXSW that started in 1987 grew in size every year, and now, approximately 20,000 music personnel and approximately 2,000 teams from an average of 50 countries are participating. SXSW is perceived as a symbolic event that generates energy for various organizations, schools and corporations in the region, and also those people who create contents.
DDP Seoul Light provides an opportunity for general citizens to receive new stimulus and inspiration in the city. Usually, opportunities such as relatively diverse set of experiences and stimulus are provided to those working in the field of design, but most citizens living in cities tend to repeat the same lives every day, and the fact is that it is difficult for them to be exposed to novel visual experiences. Can we say that the thoughts and imaginations of citizens would be the same as before after they have come in contact with a video they might only see in movies, in the middle of a city?
Parking Day, that started in San Francisco and is continuing for a long time while creating global solidarity, is an event that turns the parking lot into a park for one day a year. Parking Day started in 2005 by an organization called Rebar, that considered the use of vehicle parking space that accounts for approximately 70% of the outdoor space in the urban district of San Francisco. This concept spread to the world, and is being linked to art, plays and activities. Participants can make use of the parking space to deploy various activities such as photo exhibition, sunbathing, music listening, games, reading and so forth, and citizens can impulsively participate. Parking Day in Korea was led by KT&G Sangsang Madang Hongdae.
Frankfurt, Germany constructed an urban garden for sustainable city life. Urban gardens that are seen in various forms in Korea sometimes tend to focus on what is seen on the outside, but as for the case of Frankfurt, although there aren’t that many in number, they are unique in that they consist completely of recycled materials, including the furniture and interior pieces, in addition to the wooden exterior. This urban garden is located in places where office workers can visit naturally on their way home after work, and also aims to achieve coexistence of nature and the city by operating programs for a healthier life.
Next is about the domestic case of the Jeonju City Library, Oozooro. An important part that we have to look into for public and city experience is to ensure that people are not excluded. Actual space that children and youths can live in is quite limited in the city that we live in. Oozooro 1216 of the Jeonju City Library is a ‘library for the children’, one of the alternatives to such issues. It is a project that creates a 3rd space that is not a school or a house for children and youths between 12 to 16 years old, and it was planned to provide space and opportunities for exploration, after having been inspired by the fortress walls of Jeonju. It is also a project that allowed actual users to participate in the process to design the space and lead the design process through participative workshops.
Official blog of Jeonju City: www.blog.naver.com/jeonju_city
Experience design of a city does not necessarily have to be grand. From signboards to streets and alleyways where various fun spaces coexist, many types of enjoyment are provided, as if we are seeing various products in stores. There are cases where the factory districts of the city transform into commercial spaces, and green spaces that did not exist before are created. Recent transformation of the cities that include brilliant night lights on the bridges that cross the river and emergence of unique skyscrapers are all connected to the experience design of cities.
©Sohyun Choi
On top of what is shown, improvement in the functional service also plays an important role of the city experience. LED floor traffic lights installed at the bottom of crosswalks and the well-received highway color lanes are alternatives that were identified to provide assistance in transportation and pedestrian issues in cities. In truth, it is difficult to have a perfect alternative that satisfies all when we are trying to resolve a series of issues in cities where various people reside in. Therefore, an agreement must be made after going through a process where public institutions, experts and citizens cooperate with one another to gain an understanding and reach a consensus before making a reasonable decision.
Highway color lanes and LED floor traffic lights
‘Frankly’, a design shop in Finland that is well known as a country that leads in lifestyle, is a platform that embodies storytelling in secondhand design products that are provided by 23 European countries and sells them at a reasonable price. It is the largest online store in the world that stocks more than 230 design brands from Northern Europe, ships to 180 countries, and discovers designers and influencers that are aligned to corporate values to lead in city experience so that everyone can carry out discussions about sustainability and recyclability of products. Furthermore, New York Restaurant Week is one of the city experience contents that should be noted, as it is being executed steadily since 1992 to spread and expand the culinary culture of the city. Restaurant Week is linked to the considerations about the Farmer’s market and sustainable food, and it is not only involving tourists but also advancing into contents for the residents of New York.
Contents of city is not something that you can only be informed of by visiting that city or residing in it. ‘So.dosi’ that started with Eulji-ro and Jong-ro of Seoul to discover attractive contents of cities such as Gunsan, Tongyeong, Gangneung, and Jeju, Incheon Gahang-ro Project that once again brought vitality to a stalled space and the Gaehangro beer commercialization case all acted as messengers that conveyed the message of the city to the outside. As such, activities to produce contents or create sensible products that inform others of the identity and the attractiveness of the city and the region cannot be carried out by just one or two experts. Values pursued by several relevant teams from discovery of regional contents to manufacturing/distribution and overall communication should be gathered and put forth together to continue to have an impact.
Efforts for a sustainable city brand
There is a process that we commonly have to consider to establish the city brand.
First, we have to obtain answers to the fundamental questions related to ‘Who are we and which values of the city we want to convey’ and clearly define the audience that the city is pursuing. Directions about the issues should be set and complex experiences should be defined before we can carry out an official discussion on the alternatives and concepts.
What are some of our efforts to aid in the evolution of a city that is alive?
All brands would have to be maintained across the entire lifecycle to be sustained in a healthy manner, or otherwise, it will lose vitality. City is the same. It may become ill, and it may face unexpected crises. Resuscitation ability may vary depending on who will diagnose in what manner, and how the treatment will be applied. Therefore, sympathy and strategic judgement on inclusive values and the commitment of relevant party is significant in the process of defining issues, making judgement and implementing. Since cities do not exist independently, but instead, exist within an interconnected relationship, I hope that we will be able to create a ‘mature city’ while imagining various possibilities that not only consider physical space but also the metaverse.
Korea has a high level of design capability. Then, if we were to ask ourselves ‘Is our design mature?’, ‘Do we have a mature citizenship?’, we have to make sure that agreement by all on the shared objectives and targets, discussions and consensus, and reasonable decision making should be achieved beforehand. I believe that the energy of the city, temperature of the atmosphere, spectrum of stories and experience and consideration of members that are formed based on the above will aid in creating a mature city.
Moreover, we need to have an active discussion on things that should be done, things that should not be done, things that require change, and things that should not change in order for a city to achieve a natural transformation while respecting the potential values and assets. Designers would act as lubricant or would play the role of experts who realize the ideas in such a process. We need the power of people who can sympathize with shared goals and can accomplish them because everyone including individuals, corporations and schools can become the agents that create the experience design of cities and city brands. In other words, this means that city brands need to be internalized for all members including citizens.
What type of a city should we create?
The era of cities is overheating. According to the global urban population that was estimated by UN, jointly with economic and social institutions, 68% of the global population is projected to live in cities by 2050. We are in an era where efforts for sustainability need to expand out to everyone and not just to physical goods for the competitiveness of cities. In order to become a more sustainable city brand, and not a better urbanization, a positive relationship has to be maintained among cities, citizens and the society. We need the sincerity and efforts of all such as formation of an atmosphere where transparent and reasonable decision-making structure and diversity can be respected, along with brand leadership, citizenship, and so forth.
Seoul is a place that embodies the ripple of time with complexity of both subjects and objects. In the context of city brand that the whole world is focused on, I would like to start thinking together about what type of relationships we should create, what type of engagements we should form, and what roles we can play as citizens or designers. Currently, the brand industry has a strong interest on the intention, agents that create the brand, and the genuineness that goes into it. We should also ask ourselves the following questions and consider who, whether it be us or someone else, will create this city with how much genuineness and with what sort of intent, and how new starting points can be created in such a timepoint.
“Where do we want to live?
What type of a city, or what type of Seoul can we create?
What should we do now for our Seoul to be sustainable?”
