The 2009 Public Design Expo, held to highlight the importance of everyday designs and provide a new vision for cityscapes will open at COEX Convention Center in Seoul from Nov. 5 through 8. The exhibition, now in its third year, is the only one of its kind dedicated to public design in Korea, and is participated in by over 80 institutions and businesses related to the field.

The theme of this year's expo is “Green growth through practice of public design.” Many misunderstand design as pursuing beauty only. The latest trend also bears the environment in mind. A green design that can minimize the waste that comes from construction and discarding materials has become one of the keys to future-oriented design.

Public design intends to take a step further from there by realizing economic results through upgrading places that need to be upgraded in an architectural sense. Many advanced nations are also taking advantage of environment-friendly public design as a new way to vitalize their regional economies.

“Green design must be put in practice, as it helps to upgrade quality of life, add new value to a country and help preserve the environment,” said Kang Dong-jin from the culture & design division of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

For that purpose, this year's expo presents the restoration of city to a new level -- fostering city life centering on humans and new city space for a greener environment. The whole exhibition site is organized under the concept of green, arranged in a way so that people can encounter public design just by following the green lawn or trees.

Exhibitions that show a way to revive a Korean traditional marketplace, how to make school a better place or how to create cultural space out of industrial complexes all attest to the importance of public design in our daily lives.

Then there is Bang Bang room, a 6-meter high, balloon-shaped space that can move. It is part of the 2010 art project of Anyang City in Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province). The public design technical workshop and other fun events are all scheduled to take place in this room.

Also, a total of 112 design works were submitted for the 2009 Public Design Competition. The judges selected 10 best works based on artistic value, universality, harmony and interpretation of a theme. Deokpyeongja Rest Stop by Kolon Construction Co., above all, is most eye-catching. It provides a whole new concept of “resting place” by equipping the building with futuristic technology. The geothermal powered air conditioning and heating system, solar power-generated system and advanced sewage disposal system are realized in a single building that stands amid the beautiful promenade and landscape.

The expo will also aim to minimize garbage left in its wake. The organizers planned it thoroughly to reduce the amount of waste by installing booths and exhibitions made of recyclable products. The displays will be donated to schools and other social welfare facility after their use.

There is also a charity element to the 2009 Public Design Expo: the entry fee will be donated to the Culture Ministry's “happy school” project to establish cultural spaces in schools.

“The 2009 Public Design Expo is not just a one-off cultural function. We're focusing on making it's a place to truly experience and encounter new concepts so that it can contribute to improving national competitiveness and raising quality of life,” explained the culture ministry spokesman.

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*Adapted from Weekly Gonggam Magazine

By Kim Hee-sung
Korea.net Staff Writer