Just around the corner is a year that was almost un-imaginably futuristic to me when I was ten.  The year 2010 is upon us.  Are you ready to don your mylar suit? 

In case you haven’t noticed there are a lot of construction cranes in Seoul.   This is now only partly due to the fading tail of the real estate apartment boom.   If you look carefully, the buildings being built are not just glass apartment towers of the I Park and Hyperion mold. 

Instead, unique designs are being built around Seoul in preparation for Seoul’s designation by the International Design Alliance (IDA) as the World Design Capital 2010.   This is an international competition that aims to “promote and encourage the use of design to futher the social, economic, and cultural development of the world’s cities.” 

With the architectural boldness of Koolhaus, Bilbao’s Guggenheim, or Beijing’s Birds Nest fresh in everyone’s minds, Seoul is attempting to bring about its own flavor of modernity so widely populating Asia these days. 

For instance, the work of Zaha Hadid will soon make its debut in Seoul in the sweeping, spaceship-like lines of the new Dongdaemun Design Plaza (interior shown right).  The British designer will keynote October’s design conference, called the Seoul Design Olympiad 2008, and as her reputation precedes her she will attract lots of attention and fans.  Rightfully so, I think.

Here are more details:

What:  Seoul Design Olympiad 2008

Conference // Exhibition // Competition // Festival

Where:   Jamsil Sports Complex main stadium, floor 1, floor 2 (deck), and floor 3 (exhibition hall)

When:  October 10 (Fri) ~ October 30 (Thu), 2008

Tickets:  Conference attendees will require registration and fees, but all other events are open-to-public

Links:

Seoul Design Olympiad 2008 (Official Site)

World Design Capital | Seoul 2010 (Complete list of projects)

Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park (PDF brochure)

An interview with architect Minsuk Cho (Design Boom)

–Ars Architectura never liked industrial paint, prefers the changes coming in Seoul

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