From a warmer that saves newborns to artificial coral reefs... ‘Seoul Design Week’ opens

[Financial News] More than 1,200 design projects submitted from 91 countries around the world have come together in Seoul. From warmers that protect newborns’ lives to artificial coral reefs that restore marine ecosystems, creative efforts from around the world to address social and environmental problems through design are on display in one place.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it held the opening ceremony of the 2026 Seoul Design Week and the Seoul Design Award 2026 ceremony at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Jung District, Seoul, on the 14th. This year’s event, themed “The Design Recipe,” runs through the 25th at DDP and across Seoul.
The Seoul Design Award, now in its seventh year, received a record 1,204 project entries from 91 countries. That is about 16 times the 75 entries submitted in its inaugural year. Thirty-six design experts from 20 countries judged the entries based on criteria including social value and sustainability. The grand prize was selected following jury evaluations and a public vote on the 10 finalists.
This year’s grand prize went to the Otter Newborn Warmer by the U.S. organization Design that Matters. It is a portable warmer developed to protect newborns from the risks of hypothermia and infection in areas with limited electricity and medical resources. Its key features include an intuitive design that anyone can use easily and a power system that can operate during power outages.
Mauro Porcini, chief design officer (CDO) at Samsung Electronics, praised the work, saying, “It is a project that applied empathy and creativity to understanding people’s needs and protecting lives,” and that it “showed that design can make a real difference in people’s lives while also taking affordability into account.”
The 10 finalists included projects tackling issues involving the environment, health and mobility rights, such as artificial reefs to restore marine ecosystems and a platform for sharing mobility information for wheelchair users.
The DDP Design Fair, a key event of Seoul Design Week, showcases the results of collaborations between 79 lifestyle brands and young designers. Running through the 18th at DDP Art Hall, the fair is organized around introducing design products according to different lifestyles and tastes.
In particular, around 100 student designers from 20 teams at universities including Seoul National University, Ewha Womans University, the University of Seoul, Hongik University and Kyung Hee University will present work created in collaboration with companies such as Hyundai Motor. Hongik University and Hyundai Motor will propose home-wellness robots and future living environments, while Seoul National University of Science and Technology and the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation will showcase products made using byproducts from currency production.
Other programs include “Designer Scale-Up,” which introduces the development of young designers; “Studio Practice,” which showcases the production processes of design studios in Korea and abroad; and “Seoul Design Industry Spectrum,” featuring the results of Seoul’s design support programs.
International discussions on turning design into a source of industrial competitiveness will also continue. At the Seoul Design Conference 2026, held that day under the theme “Think·Make·Change,” participants explored ways to address social problems through design and build a sustainable future. Resource circularity, artificial intelligence (AI) and global design policies were among the topics discussed through the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Circular Design Programme and the “2027 World Design Congress Seoul Preview,” among other events.
On the 15th, Hongik University professor Hyunjoon Yoo and Lee Ji-hyun, Seoul’s special adviser for the night-time economy, among others, will examine how Seoul’s urban culture and lifestyles are developing into new design businesses. On the 18th, Salone del Mobile president Maria Porro and Samsung Electronics chief design officer Mauro Porcini, among others, will discuss K-design’s global competitiveness and growth potential.
This year’s event also stands out for extending beyond DDP to venues across Seoul. The Seoul Design Road will connect 150 design destinations across five areas: Dongdaemun, Seongsu, Yeonhui, Seochon and Apgujeong. An exhibition titled “Seoul-ness” will be held in Seongsu, while the Design Open Studio program will offer tours of design studios and architecture firms in the Yeonhui area.
A design market will be held at DDP’s outdoor Palgeori plaza for six days in total, from the 16th to the 18th and from the 23rd to the 25th. Two hundred vendors will take part, selling home accessories, fashion accessories, illustrations, food and beverages, and more.
Around 250 people attended the opening ceremony that day, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and designers and representatives of design companies from Korea and abroad.
Oh said, “Over the past 20 years, Seoul has enhanced its competitiveness through design and grown into a city that leads global design trends,” adding, “We will support young designers’ creative endeavors so they can drive industry growth and bring changes to citizens’ lives.”

[email protected] Lee Seol-young Reporter