Seoul City Unveils Universal Design Virtual Experience Center 'i-UT (Iut)'

Easily Accessible to Anyone in an Online Environment

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 17th that it has produced and released an online educational content called the 'Universal Design Virtual Experience Center i-UT (Iut)' where users can indirectly experience universal design.

The virtual experience center 'i-UT (Iut)' signifies a people-centered city where everyone is respected. Users can access the website via computer or mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) without the need for separate programs or app installations.

With rapid aging and an increase in single-person households recently changing population structure and social environments, the demand for universal design in various social sectors is expanding, but educational content to implement and spread it remains insufficient. Especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 situation since 2020, there is a need for educational content optimized for non-face-to-face environments.

Accordingly, the project aims to produce and provide 'UD Virtual Experience Center Content' suitable for non-face-to-face educational environments so that students, public officials, related institution workers, and any citizens can easily access and indirectly experience universal design online and use it as educational material.

The virtual experience center 'i-UT (Iut)' consists of ▲UD Video Hall, ▲UD Experience Hall, ▲UD Housing VR Hall, and ▲UD Case VR Hall. In the UD Video Hall and UD Experience Hall, scenarios are set up to simulate situations that elderly people, visually impaired individuals, foreigners, and wheelchair users may encounter in daily life, allowing users to experience the before and after application of universal design and verify educational effects through mini-games. The UD Housing VR Hall offers a virtual residential space with universal design applied, along with information on various universal design products. The UD Case VR Hall allows users to check universal design elements and detailed information of three major award-winning works from the Seoul Universal Design Awards.

Professor Beom Joo, head advisor of this project and president of the Korean Cultural Space Architecture Society at Konkuk University, explained the significance of the project, saying, “Through the UD Virtual Experience Center, we hope citizens will recognize the necessity of universal design and that it will serve as an opportunity to spread beyond the public sector to the private sector and all corners of the country.”

Choi In-gyu, Seoul City Design Policy Officer, stated, “For the universal design policy promoted by Seoul City to secure sustainability from the perspective of creating an inclusive public environment where all citizens can enjoy universal daily life, education to improve awareness among end users, the citizens, as well as UD education for related institution workers, is essential.” He added, “This virtual experience center is digital-based educational content and a learning-sustaining design that allows citizens to experience the urban environment from the perspective of vulnerable groups and empathize with the necessity of universal design, and we plan to actively utilize it for citizen education.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.