From First Class to Coach
SPEAKER: Thomas Bade (CEO and founder of the Institute for Universal Design in Munich)






SPEAKER: Thomas Bade (CEO and founder of the Institute for Universal Design in Munich)
Memories are Designed by Experiencing Places
Korean has entered an aged society in 2017. Korea is estimated to become a super-aged society, defined as a society where over 20% of the population are seniors 65 years or above, in 2025. The city of Seoul is where population aging occurs at the fastest rate, with the aging index having increased rapidly by about 127.3% in the last ten years. Dementia is the most common disease in the elderly population, which is increasing at a fast rate. What would be necessary to prevent dementia, a disease that gives pain and burden to patients, their family members, and even society?Does the Crime Rate Drop By Changing Designs?
“Social problem-solving design” that changed our everyday life — life safety design The SMG implemented a design policy in 2007 and carried out city-centered policies for landscape improvement to reinforce the city brand. As a result, Seoul won the Grand Prize at the Index Awards, renowned for “Design to Improve Life,” in 2011. While looking for ways to use the prize money that came with the award, the SMG thought of socially disadvantaged citizens who could not benefit from the design policy. The SMG took a new step forward with the “social problem-solving design” project, which aims to reduce the grievances of people who cannot benefit from policies due to various reasons like having a busy livelihood. Having launched its first life safety design project in 2012, the SMG strengthened the roles of design in solving various social issues. Instead of policies and macroscopic systems, the concept of design has been expanded to public design to solve problems of varying sizes that influence the lives of people. The social problem-solving design projects of the SMG are divided into categories such as life safety design, cognitive health design, stress-free design, youth problem-solving design, and design governance. Each project utilizes the “service design” methodology, which derives relationship-centered solutions based on communication and awareness improvement beyond the improvement of the physical environment regarding social issues. This year, the social problem-solving design projects of the SMG marks its 10th anniversary. In celebration, we intend to take a close look at our surrounding environment and public design that have undergone small and large changes.SEOUL DESIGN INTERNATIONAL FORUM 2021 ARCHIVE
This is the 2021 Seoul Design International Forum Archive Book.Universal design of Yokohama City Current events in design
The evolution of universal design in Japan Yokohama City is an area with a population of 3.77 million. Its area is about three quarters of Seoul, and it is divided into 18 wards. It started with a population of 500 150 years ago, and after the port was established, the population increased. However, the rapid population increase between 1960 and 1970 caused problems in urban development. Yokohama is currently a city with a significant aging population. Although this is a problem for Japan as a whole, based on the analyzed data, the population growth trend of Yokohama City is expected to peak in 2019. After that, the proportion of the elderly population is expected to continue to increase, and it is expected that one-third of the total population will be elderly by 2030. Looking at the map showing the aging population, it is like looking at the history of how Yokohama's housing development has taken place. The beginning of universal design in Japan was triggered by the Tokyo Olympics 50 years ago. The Tokyo Olympics, held in 1964, introduced the use of pictograms to solve the problem of communicating with foreigners. In 1965, Braille blocks were introduced, and actual installation began in 1967. In 1969, awareness of the need to make the city accessible to wheelchairs increased. Braille blocks were first introduced in the provincial cities to the western part of japan, which is also the case with barrier-free access in Japan, which started in provincial cities rather than the capital.Citizen-centered Problem Solving, The Value and Performance of Social Problem Solving Design
This presentation aims to accomplish three goals - to introduce concepts and methodologies of social problem-solving design; to draw value of social problem-solving design from cases shared at the previous forums hosted by the city of Seoul; and to put forward designers’ future role and vision in relation to the evolving social problem-solving design. Intro: Widening a Role of Design Across the globe, we’re seeing more complex and diverse issues in our society ranging from social structures and policies, climate change, pandemics, to inequality. Design’s role and potential are expanding in addressing these issues. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has included public service design in the Administrative Procedures Act to encourage citizen participation. Similarly, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has incorporated social problem-solving design into its policies and general plans.2020 Seoul Design International Forum - Universal Design
2020 서울디자인국제포럼Accessibility Information Map for the Mobility Disadvantaged Persons
Cities comprise artificial or non-artificial combinations of countless roads (lines), facilities (points), and spaces (planes). Living in such cities, we find the most efficient and fastest way to reach a facility or space. When driving a car, we use a navigation device that informs us of the optimal or shortest route considering real-time traffic volume information and road types (narrow and curved or wide and straight roads). When walking, we can use pedestrian guides on commercial maps such as NAVER Map, Kakao Map and Google Map. When using pedestrian guides, people often prefer the fastest and shortest route, even if there are steep slopes or height differences caused by stairs. If there is no difficulty in walking, slopes and surface materials that may cause inconvenience are obstacles that can be overcome.Seoul Design International Forum 2022
Based on the vision to “Create Value through Design,” the Seoul Metropolitan Government implements its various design policies ranging from the macro plans for landscape to the micro plans for service improvement. To ensure that citizens can fully savor the attractiveness of natural environment and spaces across the city and enjoy thoughtful care and respect, the role of design in the future society will be even greater. This forum held with the theme, “DESIGN x Seoul : How Does Design Enrich Our Future,” will learn how design serves as an engine for enhancing values of cities through various examples of cities. Also, it will review how citizens in those cities enjoy these value.Seoul Expands Its "Design Companionship" Initiative to Other Metropolitan Cities
- On March 27th (Thursday), Seoul signed an agreement with Busan, launching intercity collaboration through the "Design Seoul" initiative. - The two cities will share accumulated design assets, capabilities, and policies to seek solutions to urban challenges through design. -A joint workshop will be held in Busan from March 27th to 28th, featuring expert presentations, keynote lectures, and participation by public officials. - "Through continued exchange and cooperation with Busan, we will lead innovation in urban design," Seoul city officials stated.Mayor Oh Se-hoon's design-driven approach is making Seoul an even more appealing city on the global stage.
A Global Forum was held to enhance the value of Seoul's design initiative led by Mayor Oh Se-hoon and explore the role and future development direction of Seoul as a world design capital and a leading design city. World-renowned design experts, including Dr. Prof. Peter Zec, CEO of Red Dot, and Craig Kiner, Associate Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, who designed DDP, emphasized the role of design in shaping a sustainable urban future.New Challenges in City Design to Post-COVID
At a time when the world is thinking about the form of cities to come after Corona, we need to think about how cities should be constructed from a more comprehensive perspective. In addition to the challenges triggered by the coronavirus, the problem of climate change, which must be approached from a particularly long-term perspective, is an area that cannot be prevented or treated, and is a topic that needs to be found through continuous problem-solving, dialogue, and discussion. How should we respond to the problem of climate change that all cities face in the future and must solve in the long term? We would like to discuss six issues on climate change to be announced at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).SDIF 2024 Sketch Video
This is a sketch video capturing the vibrant scenes of the 2024 Seoul International Design Forum.