Rhythmic Skyline, Next-Generation Playground... Design Seoul 2.0 Unveiled

Announcement of the 'Joyful Vitality City Seoul' Project on the 20th
"Continuing Design Seoul 1.0 and Establishing a New Identity"
Setting Five Principles: Empathy, Inclusion, Contribution, Recovery, and Sustainability

A rhythmic skyline is being drawn in the night sky of Seoul. A multigenerational playground where grandmothers and granddaughters play together is emerging, and public spaces where people and companion animals coexist are being created. Anyone can encounter art at public art landmarks, and illegal buildings and illegal parking will disappear.

On the 20th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government held a press briefing at City Hall and announced the 'Design Seoul 2.0 Project Promotion Plan' to create a 'Joyful and Vibrant City Seoul.' Mayor Oh Se-hoon previously promoted the 'Design Seoul 1.0 Project' in 2006 during his first term, which emphasized a soft Seoul centered on humans, culture, and content.

Choi In-gyu, Seoul’s Design Policy Officer, said, "While continuing the philosophy of Design Seoul 1.0, we will establish Seoul’s design identity that meets global standards and lead Seoul to become a design city with global top 5 urban competitiveness." To this end, Seoul plans to set five major design principles?empathy, inclusion, contribution, recovery, and sustainability?and implement 55 projects.

Creating a Three-Dimensional Skyline with Guidelines for Each Landscape

To create specialized landscapes that embody Seoul’s identity, Seoul will prepare promotion strategies for seven major landscape resources: natural green areas, waterfronts, historical culture, urban areas, nighttime, city entrances, and outdoor advertisements. In line with the 2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan, Seoul will establish landscape guidelines reflecting changes in height management policies to draw a three-dimensional skyline that ensures rhythm, openness, and visual corridors. The design will integrate planes, elevations, and spaces, and implement the '3 Yes, 5 No' policy?no illegal buildings, no street stalls, no signboards, no advertisements, and no parking. Seoul will also strengthen urban nighttime tourism content through light festivals such as Seoul Light at Gwanghwamun and DDP.

Multigenerational Playgrounds for Everyone to Enjoy

While previous public design projects targeted life-stage-specific groups such as children, youth, middle-aged, and seniors, future facilities and spaces will be developed to embrace diverse generations and alleviate social conflicts. First, a multigenerational playground design that local residents of all ages and genders can enjoy will be created. An excellent model and guidelines will be developed through a pilot project in 2024. In the era of 15 million companion animals, from 2024, public spaces and facilities will be designed to enable sustainable coexistence among pet owners, non-pet owners, companion animals, and people. By 2027, seven major public art landmarks will be established in urban spaces so that anyone can easily encounter art in daily life. Universal design will be applied to Seoul’s 67 mountains and newly built public restrooms, allowing use regardless of gender, age, or disability.

Introducing 'Design 2.0' in All Administrative Areas Including Safety, Health, and Economy

Additionally, Seoul aims to apply design perspectives to all administrative areas by strengthening design cooperation between the city and autonomous districts to spread proven effective lifestyle design types. Design exchanges will be actively promoted to serve as a platform supporting corporate and university social and environmental activities. Furthermore, Seoul will collaborate in design and media fields with the Busan Expo, Suncheonman National Garden Expo, and domestic UNESCO Creative Cities, enhancing design exchanges.

To make Seoul a safer city, standard, disaster prevention, and spatial safety designs will be continuously expanded. Seoul will develop Seoul-style active design for the physical and mental health of its citizens and create spaces for those with limited mobility. Active design is an urban architectural guideline that started in New York to address obesity.

Seoul will also focus on sustainable design that benefits the environment and economy. ESG programs will be implemented through corporate and public design, and design elements will be added to neighborhood commercial districts to revitalize the local economy. To foster the Seoul design industry ecosystem, networks will be formed, and step-by-step support (starting-making-marketing) and on-demand support (consulting, education) will be provided to enhance the competitiveness of Seoul’s small and medium-sized enterprises.

Policy Officer Choi said, “We intend to realize the city administration’s core principles of companionship and charm as a special city using design tools tailored to citizens’ perspectives and needs. Through continuous co-design processes beyond the Seoul Metropolitan Government to autonomous districts and private companies, we will pursue meticulous design administration so that global citizens can enjoy Seoul, and vitality overflows everywhere in Seoul without anyone being left out.”

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