Not Just a Smoking Booth? Seoul's Urban Public Design in Action at Cheongnyangni Station
Hello! I’m Yerim Ko, a supporter of the 2025 Seoul Design International Forum.
Today, I’d like to share my visit to the newly installed Seoul-style smoking booth
near Cheongnyangni Station.
A smoking booth? Isn’t that just a place to smoke?
Not at all! This is a thoughtfully designed space that reflects
Seoul City’s efforts to address urban issues through design.
What is the Seoul-Style Smoking Booth Design?
To resolve conflicts arising from smoking in public and to improve the city’s aesthetics,
Seoul has developed three standardized smoking booth designs:
Open-type, Semi-enclosed, and Enclosed.
The one installed at Cheongnyangni Station is the Enclosed type.
This design was created through a collaborative process involving citizen interviews, expert consultations, and field research—ensuring both functionality and visual harmony with the urban landscape.
The booth, officially named a “Smart Smoking Booth,”
combines design and air purification technology to reduce secondhand smoke exposure
and preserve the city’s visual appeal.
Its neutral-toned, clean-cut box-like structure, made of glass and metal,
integrates seamlessly into the urban setting.
It’s equipped with a purification system that captures and filters
smoke internally, preventing it from leaking outside.
Here’s a view of the Smart Smoking Booth installed at the Cheongnyangni Station Plaza.
True to its design principle—urban harmony—
the booth features colors and materials that blend naturally with the surroundings,
maintaining a coherent and refined look in the cityscape.
Sustainable Public Design that Considers the Environment
Another key feature is its recycling capability.
Inside the booth is a specialized ashtray that collects cigarette butts,
which are then recycled into new resources using advanced technologies.
This contributes to resource circulation and environmental protection in the city,
making this booth a meaningful model of eco-friendly design, not just a facility.
Minimalist Design that Respects Urban Context
- The monotone metal finish allows the booth to blend naturally into the city.
- The frosted glass panels block direct lines of sight between users and pedestrians,
encouraging smooth movement around the plaza while preserving user privacy.
- At the same time, the semi-transparent design prevents
a sense of confinement for smokers by offering a view of the surrounding city.
Functional Value in Terms of Public Design
Harmonization with Urban Landscape
Neutral color schemes and materials like glass and metal were chosen to blend with city surroundings.
Frosted glass minimizes visual disruption.
Spatial Order and Consideration for Users
Design elements like automatic doors, no-smoking content, and intuitive pictograms create a structured, user-friendly space—
shifting the booth from a hidden corner into a thoughtfully integrated urban feature.
Health and Environmental Impact
Features like recyclable ashtrays and air purification systems (in enclosed and semi-enclosed types) promote sustainability and support the booth’s public function.
The Seoul-style smoking booth is a powerful example of design for all—showing how public design can resolve conflict,
organize urban order, and contribute to a more considerate and sustainable city.
Discover more such inspiring ideas at the 2025 Seoul Design International Forum.
2025 Seoul Design International Forum
September 19, 2025 (Fri) / Multipurpose Hall, 8F, Seoul City Hall
