Future of mobility in Seoul as a smart city

A screen of a video introducing future transportation and traffic system in Seoul is on display at the Smart Mobility Exhibition held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. The exhibition runs through Oct. 2. / Korea Times photos by Yun Suh-young

By Yun Suh-young

Seoul Design Week 2016 opened Thursday — the third annual event since the first in 2014 and will be held through Oct. 2 at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).

Hosted by Seoul Design Foundation, this year’s theme is “Smart City, Smart Design, Smart Life,” and explores smart design which can lead to a smart life and hence, a smart city. The theme aims to identify the roles and responsibilities of design in a changing era and explore smarter solutions for citizens’ convenience and for the sustainability of the city itself.

The event explores the theme in four different tracks — Seoul Smart Mobility International Conference and Exhibition, Universal Design Seoul Exhibition, Seoul Crafts Fair and Crafts Free Market, and AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale) SEOUL 2016 — offering a variety of programs.

A multi-person transportation vehicle introduced by the Korea Railroad Research Institute at the Smart Mobility exhibition

In line with Seoul Design Week, the Korean capital was selected as a guest city to Beijing Design Week 2016 which will be held from Sept. 26 to Oct. 6. Seoul will have its own exhibition booth there with the same theme as Seoul Design Week 2016.

Opening the festival, the first two days of the Seoul Design Week was dedicated to the Seoul Smart Mobility International Conference with renowned guests in the mobility field invited as speakers. The two-day conference was an opportunity for experts, design students and ordinary citizens to discuss the future of mobility and transportation systems in Seoul.

“Moving in the digital era, future mobility solutions will be shaped by public involvement in the design process,” said Matteo Conti, a professor of vehicle design from the Royal College of Art, during a speech at the conference.

A participant drives on a simulator at the DDP exhibition.

“Seoul’s challenge is moving 11.8 million people. Commuters need to move but they also need more personal space. Alternative services for improved urban mobility are needed. And this will require an inclusive design process focused on human centered design. We need to co-design to exploit ICT and a new social mindset.”

In his presentation, Paul Snyder, Chair of Transportation Design at the College of Creative Studies, introduced “Double Street,” a multilayered transit system where new pod-type vehicles operate underneath ordinary passageways turned into eco-friendly public spaces.

Lim Bum-suk, CEO of Trans Lab based in Shanghai and professor at the Art Center College of Design, said people will need transportation to carry them from door to door.

A messaging function in a concept car displayed at the exhibit

“We will need personal vehicles to make smooth transition from roads to public transportation. There must be a seamless transition — the experience has to be continuous,” said Lim.

“Mobility design cannot be separated from the public. This challenge will open a brand new opportunity to which we don’t yet have a solution but many companies will come up with them.”

A program to take particular note of is the “Smart Mobility Exhibition” taking place as part of the design week event which will continue through Oct. 2

A one-person pod introduced in a “Double Street” project

The program is a must-visit exhibition especially for those interested in future transport and urban design.

The fascinating exhibition shows a variety of projects conducted by design schools and vehicle companies worldwide imagining the future of Seoul’s transportation modes such as personal mobility vehicles and the future traffic system.

Visitors can watch project videos, see physical prototypes displayed, and also experience riding futuristic vehicles. A variety of personal mobility vehicles including those from Segway and Ninebot group are available for visitors to ride.

An electric car exhibited at the Smart Mobility exhibition at DDP

The videos played as part of the exhibit are worth watching from beginning to end as these innovative projects will be an eye-opener to spark inspiration.

Another program to take note of is the “Appcessory” exhibition presenting smart design products that provide convenience in everyday lives. The exhibit also plays videos of these projects which turn on when placing a cube onto a small box on a table. The products introduced have expanded features from smart devices, suggesting a smarter way of life.

Visitors at the Smart Mobility exhibition try riding personal mobility vehicles at the iWheel booth. / Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation

Another interesting exhibit is the “Universal Design” exhibition which offers a variety of items that are made to be “universal” to make everyone’s lives more convenient, especially making it accessible for the socially underprivileged, the handicapped, elderly and children.

Seoul Design Week’s exhibitions are free of charge and the event also offers workshops for design students. For more information, visit www.seouldesignweek.or.kr or call (02) 2153-0000.

Models of evolved transportation modes exhibited