SPACE October 2023 (No. 671)
The Public Design Festival 2023 / Images courtesy of Korea Craft & Design Foundation
View of the Public Design Festival 2022 / Images courtesy of Korea Craft & Design Foundation
From Oct. 20 – 29, the Public Design Festival 2023 will take place over 10 days across more than 150 public design hubs in Busan and throughout the rest of the country. Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organised by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, the festival aims to promote the importance and role of public design. Building on the success of last year, the 2023 festival intends to hold major events outside of Seoul and expand barrier-free content, ensuring inclusivity across all demographics, including various ages and those with disabilities. Busan is the primary venue for this festival, championing the theme, ʻDesign for Allʼ. The themed exhibition, ʻDesign for All: The Ordinary Life We Aspireʼ, showcased at F1963, highlights the essence behind public design, one that transcends mere convenience, ensuring that everyone can relish daily life without facing prejudice. The exhibition will lead visitors through six daily spaces, such as homes, alleyways, schools, workplaces, shopping malls, and public transport, illustrating the application of universal design. In Busan, 40 prominent sites will present a public design tour, accompanied by the Gonggong Bus, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in Busanʼs history, culture, industry, and designs influenced by nature. Each location will host an array of exhibits, workshops, pop-up events, and more. Special programmes, in partnership with Urban Sketchers Seoul and the Farmers’ market marche, will introduce sustainable local foods and enable participants to collaboratively sketch urban public design. Furthermore, across the 150 national public design hubs, visitors will be enlightened as to the pivotal role of public design in tackling societal issues, illustrated through notable examples. Significant discussions and academic conferences will welcome experts such as Lee Sanghee (director, Samhwa Paints Color Design Center) and Takahashi Gihei (professor, Toyo University), amplifying diverse viewpoints on public design and nurturing a wider discourse on the matter.
