[Special Discussion] Soft City, Global Design Seoul!
Panel
Oh Se-hoon Mayor of Seoul
Helle SØHOLT CEO & Founding Partner, GEHL
Uwe CREMERING CEO, iF International Forum Design GmbH
[Oh Se-hoon]
I would like to sincerely welcome Ms. Helle Søholt from Denmark and Mr. Uwe Cremering from Germany to Seoul City Hall.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has set “Walking Together with the Vulnerable” and “Enhancing Urban Attractiveness” as its core goals. Through these efforts, we are striving to become one of the world’s Top 5 cities in terms of global competitiveness and quality of life. At this point in time, I find it very meaningful to have this conversation with both of you on the theme of design. Although today’s session is called a “Special Discussion,” for me, it is actually a time for “Special Inquiries.” I, too, have prepared for this moment with the mindset of a learner.
First, I would like to ask a question to Ms. Helle Søholt.
One of Seoul’s key mottos is “Walking Together with the Vulnerable.” Welfare policy is therefore very important, but I believe that beyond economic support, improving the spatial quality of public facilities that citizens use in their daily lives, such as the Han River or Namsan, is equally essential.
How can we upgrade these urban spaces through design to provide citizens with more comfortable, enjoyable environments? And what are the international trends in this area that could offer insight for Seoul?
[Helle Søholt]
First of all, Mayor Oh, it's wonderful that you are coming here today because I think showing your leadership in relation to these urban issues and design as a tool is the very first step for success.
Seoul is already taking great leaps as we can see in the comparison with other cities and I'm sure with these continued investments that you can actually get into the Top 5 of the most livable cities in the world to support the most vulnerable people in the city and to have a more inclusive approach. I have just shared in my presentation the need to focus on the public realm, the public spaces, the everyday life of the city.
And to do so, we need to focus not just on the physical infrastructure — the hardware — but equally on the social infrastructure, which you could say is the software of the city.
So money is getting less and less and every time you spend a dollar, you have to make sure that it doesn't only solve a physical problem or an environmental climate problem, but it solves a social and health problem at the same time for the population to be prosperous in the future.
[Oh Se-hoon]
Thank you very much.
There is a term called “Soft City,” and Seoul is also pursuing the concept of “Soft Seoul.” I believe these two ideas are closely connected. From your perspective, compared with other major cities around the world, what key capabilities do you think Seoul should develop in order to evolve into a true “Soft City?”
[Helle Søholt]
I think when we talk about a soft city in my urban design vocabulary, that means a human- scale city. And the city of Seoul is very dense. It needs to be very dense. But to make sure that these high and tall buildings land softly into the public space with open activities at the ground floor with little spaces and maybe smaller buildings and maybe small buildings and interventions in between is very, very important.
And to ensure social sustainability as you, Mayor Oh, are focusing on, I think particularly housing is going to be very important, ensuring affordability for all, so that young people and young families can be more attracted to live in the city. I showed examples of playgrounds and how that can support families. But I think we need to move beyond the status quo and deliver new economic models for affordability in the future.
And I would welcome you, Mayor Oh, to come to Denmark where we have a very special model for housing. In Copenhagen, for example, 25 percent of all housing is affordable and based on a nonprofit, circular housing model that was first introduced in the 1960s. This financial structure has made sustainable housing possible to this day. So maybe these new models of urban development, along with human-scale architecture that feels more approachable and grounded, could be the future for Seoul.
[Oh Se-hoon]
Thank you very much.
Now, I would like to ask a question to Mr. Uwe Cremering.
I understand that you have visited Seoul several times. Based on your experience comparing cities in various countries, I would like to ask for your objective and candid assessment of Seoul’s brand compete-tiveness and urban attractiveness.
[Uwe Cremering]
First of all, thank you again for the invitation. It’s really great to be here.
I’ve visited Seoul several times — both in my previous job and also in my current work.
What I really like here in Seoul is a balance between tradition and innovation. It's a balance between nature and technology, and also between local behavior and global vision in a way.
And this combination, this balance in these fields, which is, from my understanding, something that makes Seoul very attractive.
[Oh Se-hoon]
Thank you very much.
As you mentioned, it seems that Seoul’s branding should focus on the harmony between its long history and modern appeal.
Recently, Korean companies have achieved remarkable results at the iF Design Award. What do you think are the reasons behind this success and the strengths of Korean companies?
[Uwe Cremering]
I will speak about this a little bit later.
But iF designers, international designers abroad, and our 100 jury members from all over the world, appreciate design quality.
And the winning rate of Korean and Seoul products has been growing over the last couple of years, and right now you have a winning rate of 40 percent. The average in the iF Design Award is 30 percent, so you're pretty much above average. That's the reason why the jury members really appreciate this.
And the reason is that the big players, Samsung, LG, Lotte and so on, have converted into global companies. So they have to answer the question we asked them.
They have to answer questions about sustainability, functionality and so on. And what we see is not just for the big companies coming from Seoul it's also for the small companies, the small agencies, the design studios and so on. They follow these paths.
So what I can say is, from an iF Design perspective, every product we got from Seoul is highly appreciated because it gives us quality.
[Oh Se-hoon]
Thank you very much.
Seoul is currently striving to become one of the global Top 5 cities. From the perspective of urban design, how would you evaluate Seoul’s current standing, and what aspects do you think could be further strengthened or improved?
[Uwe Cremering]
I'm not a city planner, nor an architect, but nevertheless, please allow me to answer this question. Seoul has done a lot of things over the past few decades in buildings and infrastructure and that is the reason why Seoul nowadays is a really livable city.
Of course, there’s always room for improvement in everyday life. Topics like inclusion and climate resilience are becoming increasingly important. And I believe areas related to citizen participation are also where Seoul has great potential to grow further.
My recommendation is to really work on these small everyday tools, and that, in combination with infrastructure and buildings and so on, might lift you in the Top 5. Maybe you are in the Top 5 already, nobody knows, but it could be. But these small everyday items are something I would recommend.
[Oh Se-hoon]
Thank you very much for your insightful remarks.
I believe that today’s forum, held under the theme “Designing a Better Global Life,” carries great significance, as it shows that Seoul is now in a position to lead the quality of life on a global stage. As I mentioned earlier, I firmly believe that all change and innovation are made possible through design.
The vision that Seoul pursues, “Companion and Charm, the Special City”, in other words, a city that stands for both solidarity with the underprivileged and enhanced urban competitiveness, is something I strongly believe can be fully realized through design.
In this regard, I sincerely hope that the valuable insights shared by both of you today will serve as important inspiration and nourishment for Seoul as it continues striving toward its goals. The ideas and perspectives you have provided will surely become a meaningful foundation as we work to further embody the values and direction that Seoul aspires to achieve.
Today, many distinguished figures representing the design community have joined us here. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your support in making it possible for the Seoul Metropolitan Government to host an international forum like this. Your participation and contribution are a great source of strength for Seoul.
Although this was a brief discussion, I have gained many insights from the thoughtful messages shared by both of you.
Thank you.
