Future Living
APRIL 2010:
The Marketing Of A Metropolis
or How Seoul Is Leading The Way In City Design
Re-marketing, rebranding, redesign of companies or products is on any scale a challenge.
But to do the same with a sprawling modern metropolis of 15 million inhabitants would seem mad,
until you realize that by 2050, 70 percent of all people on earth will live in cities.
Seoul, the World Design Capital 2010 has started a complete re-marketing or re-branding of the city from the typeface to the skyline.
As a result the city launched an ambitious plan that incorporates on the one hand, modern architecture (Dongdaemun History and Culture Park by Zaha Hadid,
and a new innovative energy saving City Hall). But alongside many predictable prestigious and ambitious projects with world class architects,
the city has also taken a close look at the pedestrian level – to improve the daily lives of the inhabitants.
This has meant less sexy projects such as a new coherent design for public toilets (making them easily recognizable yet not eyesores),
working with the owners of the chaotic and shabby street kiosks to redesign them and also the standardization of basic public facilities
such as sanitation vehicles and signposts. Even the rubbish collection trucks and men are getting a brand identity and uniform to be proud of.
Redesigning a city is about tackling and understanding the need for fundamental change on every scale and level.
The holistic design strategy headed by the mayor Mr Oh, on the one hand led to identifying colours and fonts that represent the spirit,
soul, history and future of the city. On the other end of the scale are projects such as the Cheonggyecheon Stream.
This was take a congested freeway that ran through the city and turn it into a stream along which people can walk and rest.
The stream, made partly by recycling the concrete from the road is now a lively and trendy area of shops and cafes,
as well as a tourist attraction. It is symbolic of the bold attempt in urban planning to shift from what is undoubtedly a “hard city”
to a “soft city”. Following the success of this project the city plans to knock down an ugly rundown shopping arcade area and
re-form it it into a green “vein” or recreation belt, and build new recreation areas and art and cultural centres by and even in the Han river.
Meanwhile technology and IT is at the forefront of the transformation of the city. Illustrating this are the 22 “media poles”
that line the streets of the Hangang shopping area. These modern day totem poles are 12 metres tall and incorporate both advertising and touch screens
to allow people to read emails, surf the net, interact with the city, take photos and be a part of the democratic design process for change.
Not only is Seoul improving the quality of life for its inhabitants, but showing how a holistic approach to design can bring about urban change.
Trend Learnings:
* Design is about change not just surface.
* Effective design needs to be holistic.
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