Busan City Hosts 'Design City Busan International Conference'
Published 26 Apr.2024 07:32(KST)
Updated 04 Aug.2025 14:21(KST)
On the 26th from 10 AM to 5 PM at PIAC Complex Cultural Space, attended by academia, universities, companies, and institutions
Theme: "Design Development Strategy of Busan as a Global Hub City," with presentations and discussions by domestic and in
Busan City will hold the "Design City Busan International Conference" on the 26th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the complex cultural space on the 6th floor of PIAC in Yeongdo-gu.
This academic conference, held under the theme "Design city Busan: Design Strategy for Global Hub City Busan," is hosted by the city and organized by the Busan Design Promotion Agency and the Busan Research Institute.
About 200 people, including Mayor Park Hyung-jun, City Council Chairman Ahn Seong-min, and representatives from related academic societies, universities, companies, and public institutions, are expected to attend the event.
The event will begin with a welcome speech by Mayor Park Hyung-jun, followed by congratulatory remarks from City Council Chairman Ahn Seong-min, and a keynote speech titled "Citizen Happiness City, the Value of Urban Design" by Na Geon, the city’s chief designer.
Appointed in October last year, Na Geon, the city’s chief designer, is responsible for overseeing, planning, and coordinating urban design policies aimed at the long-term development of Busan’s architecture and urban design, as well as enhancing urban competitiveness from a design perspective.
Following this, six domestic and international experts in urban design fields such as public design, eco-friendly infrastructure (green infrastructure), nightscape, and waterfront spaces will deliver presentations, sharing various strategies and experiences for urban design innovation.
The keynote speakers include Kazuo Tanaka, CEO of GK Design Group and a judge of the Red Dot Award, one of the world’s top three design awards; Oliver Lin, Vice President of the Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) and a board member of the World Design Organization (WDO); Park Sang-pil, Director of Future Strategy at Busan Research Institute; Baek Ji-hye, CEO of Design Studio Lighn; Lee Jae-min, Professor of Urban Engineering at Yonsei University; and Je Seung-ah, Executive Director of Hyundai Genesis Design Innovation at Hyundai Motor Company.
Afterward, Na Geon, the city’s chief designer, will chair an in-depth discussion on Busan’s design development strategy for realizing a "Global Hub City," joined by Kang Pil-hyun, Director of the Busan Design Promotion Agency, and four of the keynote speakers.
As a side event, a "Busan Urban Design Innovation Survey" will be conducted among participants to gather ideas for urban design policies.
Through the survey, the city aims to understand citizens’ perceptions and key improvement points regarding Busan’s landscape and public and urban design, and to promote the efficient implementation of the "Urban Emptying Project," a core leading project of the "2030 Busan Architecture and Urban Design Innovation Plan" established last September, reflecting public opinion.
Mayor Park Hyung-jun stated, "Urban design is a key measure for enhancing the city brand and competitiveness," adding, "We will continue to achieve design innovation to realize 'Citizen Happiness City, Global Hub City Busan'."
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