Vol.02 | Health, Place-making
Info Showing Seoul: River Safety Information Design
서울하천 수변공간 안내체계
Embedded Files
DESIS Thematic Area
DESIS Thematic Area
Design for Urban Infrastructure
Design for Urban Infrastructure
Period
Period
2022–2023
2022–2023
Location
Location
38 Rivers across Seoul (207km total), South Korea
38 Rivers across Seoul (207km total), South Korea
KEY VALUES
KEY VALUES
Safety · Legibility · Unified Design · Citizen Convenience
■ CONTEXT
■ CONTEXT
Seoul’s 38 rivers and 207km of waterfront spaces are beloved recreation areas, yet safety information was inconsistent, poorly visible, and lacked standardization—increasing accident risk.
ⓒDESIS@HONGIK
■ DESIGN APPROACH
■ DESIGN APPROACH
A comprehensive wayfinding system applying three core principles—Legible, Simple, Unified—across all 38 rivers. Five standardized sign types (directional, locational, facility, caution, emergency) with a location code system enabling precise emergency reporting.
■ SOCIAL INNOVATION
■ SOCIAL INNOVATION
The location code system allows anyone to report their exact position during emergencies by reading the nearest sign code. Multilingual support and pictogram-based communication accommodate foreign users. The system became a national benchmark for river wayfinding standards.
■ GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
■ GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
Seoul Water Circulation Safety Bureau (Commissioning) × SEDG (Design & implementation) × Hongik University Public Design Research Center (Academic advisory)
■ EVIDENCE & IMPACT
■ EVIDENCE & IMPACT
Improved wayfinding recognition and satisfaction in pilot zones. Reduced emergency location identification time. Multiple requests from other municipalities for benchmarking—potential as a national standard model.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse