A vivid review of the SDIF 2025
The Seoul Design International Forum 2025 I attended recently was an event that gave me tremendous inspiration.
It was actually my first time attending this year, so I was curious about what the atmosphere would be like, but once I was there, I realized it is a forum that anyone interested in design should definitely experience.
First, Professor Hyun-sung Lee, Master Planner of the SDIF2025 and
professor of Public Design at Hongik University, opened the forum.
Four citizen representatives then spoke about the kinds of design they each aspire to and wish to see.
[Keynote Session]
Designing Cities for People & Planet: From Vision to Impact | Helle SØHOLT CEO & Founding Partner, GEHL
In the keynote session, Helle Søholt (CEO & Founding Partner of Gehl)
gave a lecture on the theme “Designing Cities for People & Planet: From Vision to Impact.”
She stressed the need for urban planning that considers nature and works for everyone.
She advised that cities should not focus only on building physical infrastructure,
but think from a long-term perspective so that people can lead healthy and high-quality lives in urban environments.
It was a meaningful time to look at international case studies and draw inspiration from them.
[Remarks]
Following the keynote, the forum featured a welcoming remark from Mayor of Seoul,
Oh Se-hoon, reaffirming the city’s strong commitment to design-driven urban innovation.
A congratulatory remark by Kim Gil Young, Chairperson, Urban Planning Balance Committee of Seoul Metropolitan Council
introduced the city’s five core urban planning initiatives, offering a clear look into Seoul’s design direction.
[Special Discussion]
▲Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Helle Søholt (CEO & Founding Partner of Gehl), and Uwe Cremering (CEO of iF International Forum Design GmbH
There was also a special discussion session under the theme “Soft City, Global Design Seoul!”.
They held a discussion on Seoul’s future vision and the role of design!
The conversation focused on how Seoul can move toward becoming a “soft city,”
and Helle Søholt, CEO of Gehl, highlighted the importance of public spaces, which are at the core of citizens’ everyday lives.
[Session 1] Global Leadership through Design Collaboration
The first speaker of Session 1, “Global Leadership through Design Collaboration,”
was Uwe Cremering, CEO of iF International Forum Design GmbH,
who presented on the theme “Designing Trust: How the iF Design Award Shapes Global Design Culture.”
He shared that as many as 130 jurors participate in judging for the iF Design Award.
This made me feel that the evaluation process is truly fair and highly meticulous.
He also emphasized that sustainability has become a key priority in the judging criteria.
I also learned that about 44% of the award-winning companies are based in Seoul. I felt genuinely proud of this. :)
The second speaker in Session 1 was Sharon So, Director of Corporate Affairs, Engagement & Sustainability at L’Oréal Korea,
who gave a presentation titled “L’Oréal: Collaborative Design for Sustainability.”
I could sense how much effort the L’Oréal Group is putting into sustainability.
They use delivery boxes made from recycled paper and apply winning works from an art contest
for artists with disabilities to the box designs,
which showed me that they also place strong importance on contributing to the local community.
[Session 2] The Power of Design Driving Urban Innovation
The first speaker of Session 2 was In-kyu Choi,
Director-General of the Design Policy Bureau of the Seoul Metropolitan Government,
who spoke on the theme “Design Connecting People, Cities, and the Future: Focusing on Seoul’s Design Policies.”
He introduced many of Seoul’s design projects,
but what impressed me most was that they extracted colors from Seoul’s sunset skies to create the “Sky Coral” color,
and that major landmarks across the city are being colored in Sky Coral
which, I thought, serves as a design element that can inspire a sense of pride among citizens.
The second speaker, Deana Yu, Assistant Director of the Service Design Studio at NYC Mayor’s Office,
presented on “Design by Community: Advocating for Community Power in New York City Government.”
She explained that this is the first unit within the city government
dedicated specifically to improving services for low-income residents.
It was striking to hear her point that,
in order to achieve any policy goal, people must actually be able to access and use the services.
It made me realize that we use far more services in our daily lives than we usually recognize.
She described service design as designing for a seamless experience.
The idea of “designing services,” rather than just physical objects or spaces, felt very fresh to me.
In the Design by Community program,
local residents are brought in as fellows and hired to work for their own communities,
which I found particularly impressive.
The final talk, “Design with 10%,” was given by Byungsu Kim, CEO of Missionit Co., ltd
whose company focuses on design for marginalized and underserved groups.
They created sensory bags that can be used in museums and placed them in the galleries
so that visitors with physical or sensory difficulties can experience the exhibitions
more comfortably, and I found this initiative very impressive.
Lastly, Joo Yun Kim, Master Public Designer of Seoul and chair of the session,
moderated the panel discussion.
It was a valuable time because I was able to hear a wide range of views and ideas
from the panelists, making it a very insightful discussion session.
Although it was my first time attending this year,
it was such a satisfying experience that I honestly want to go again next year.
This forum helped me truly feel that design is not just about visual elements,
but can also embody sustainability and social values.
Even as I write this review of the Seoul Design International Forum2025,
it feels like the excitement of that day is still with me.
