Interview about Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter, winner of the A' Street and City Furniture Design Award 2025
It was made to protect people from extreme conditions and the mobility rights for the people who need the mobility assistance. It has lots of add-on utilities such as, air conditioner, heater, mobile recharger, free Wi-Fi and digital signage that people can confirm the bus number, audio guidance, live location staying inside of it. Also It provides indoor chairs for disabilities and pregnant people, waiting zone for strollers, wheelchairs and hearing loop for people who have hearing difficulties.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsWhen designing the Smart Shelter, we considered using steel frames on both sides, which would have made the structure much easier to build. However, we realized that this design would obstruct passengers’ view of approaching buses. Inspired by the vigilant behavior of meerkats watching their surroundings, we designed the shelter’s corners with curved glass. This allows passengers to easily see outside and check for buses without having to stand up or lean forward.
The Seongdong Smart Shelter utilizes an IoT-based remote control system to monitor its interior in real time through 24-hour CCTV surveillance. When users experience any inconvenience, they can press the emergency bell to be immediately connected to the management center for assistance. This system enables constant communication between users and administrators, allowing issues to be resolved promptly. As a result, user safety and convenience are significantly enhanced, leading to an overall improvement in the user experience.
In developing the Seongdong Smart Shelter, Seongdong District collaborated with residents, LG Electronics, and universities over the course of a year through multiple rounds of discussions. The project gathered ideas from users’ perspectives to determine the functions they truly needed, while working with LG Electronics to design a shelter that balances functionality and aesthetics. The district also worked closely with manufacturing partners to find efficient and practical implementation methods. Through this intensive communication and coordination among various stakeholders, the project was able to maintain a consistent design vision and achieve a highly refined and effective smart shelter.
The Seongdong Smart Shelter incorporates a hearing loop system whose design features artwork created by a hearing-impaired painter, adding both aesthetic and symbolic meaning. In addition, a dedicated wheelchair zone has been established to ensure that mobility-impaired users can wait comfortably and safely. These inclusive design elements reflect deep consideration for transportation-vulnerable individuals and demonstrate the Smart Shelter’s commitment to being an open and accessible space for everyone.
The experience of introducing thermal imaging systems during the COVID-19 response became a valuable example that demonstrated the need for public infrastructure to be flexible and responsive in times of crisis.
Our main focus was to ensure that passengers can quickly receive help in dangerous situations and easily request assistance when needed. The shelter is equipped with CCTV and abnormal sound detection systems to identify potential risks in advance, and in case of an emergency, passengers can be instantly connected to local police or emergency responders.
The environmental control system of the Seongdong Smart Shelter was designed on the principle that public infrastructure must deliver comfort while ensuring long-term sustainability. To achieve this, we adopted an adaptive energy-management model that automatically adjusts cooling, heating, ventilation, and sterilization based on real-time sensor data, including temperature, humidity, CO₂ levels, and user presence. This approach minimizes unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining a stable and comfortable micro-climate for users. Through this balance, the shelter achieves both environmental responsibility and user-centered performance.
The Platinum recognition from the A’ Design Award affirms the Smart Shelter as a future-ready model of street furniture, and we see its evolution extending beyond climate-control functions. As cities face new mobility challenges—such as multimodal transport, aging populations, and carbon-neutral policies—the Smart Shelter can grow into a micro mobility-support hub with real-time mobility information, integrated e-mobility charging, AI-driven safety monitoring, and energy-self-sufficient systems using solar generation and intelligent storage. In the long term, we envision a modular platform adaptable to various urban fabrics, functioning as both transportation infrastructure and a resilient public-safety node.
Seongdong District is located along the Han River and is home to Seoul Forest, one of Seoul’s most prominent green spaces. Reflecting this local characteristic, the design of the Smart Shelter was inspired by Seoul Forest, incorporating wood in the interior to convey a sense of natural warmth. Vertical lines were applied to evoke the image of a forest, while durable steel materials were integrated to enhance structural strength and modernity. Through this combination, the design achieves a harmonious balance between traditional warmth and contemporary elegance.
Seongdong District was the first in Korea to operate a Smart Shelter equipped with an IoT-based remote control system. As a result, many other local governments visited Seongdong to benchmark the project, and we shared our operational experience and know-how with them.Our key insight for municipalities seeking to implement similar smart-city infrastructure is that technology should be treated as a means to solve real community problems, not as an end in itself. We recommend beginning with pilot installations to validate effectiveness, involving residents from the early stages, and strengthening inter-departmental cooperation for maintenance and operation.
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