Local design projects into Danish finals

Three Korean projects have made it to the final round of the Danish foundation INDEX awards for the best Designs to Improve Life.

In the community category, the Design Seoul concept; The Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project and Dasan Call Center have made it to the finals.

Every second year, The Danish design foundation INDEX awards the best “Design to Improve Life” awards.

The three local finalists are part of 61 projects out of 966 nominees that made it to the last round.

“Three Korean designs have made it to the final which reflect the strong commitment to design in South Korea and especially by Seoul metropolitan government,” said Danish Ambassador Peter Lysholt Hansen.

The first Korean finalist is the “Design Seoul” concept developed by the Seoul metropolitan government with the aim of “changing Seoul City by design.”

To make Seoul a more people-centered city, the Design Seoul concept developed five principles: airy, integration, preservation, collaboration and sustainable design.

The Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project, which is the second finalist, dismantled the highway and structures covering the stream and transformed it into a green, livable gathering place.

The last nominee is the Seoul Call Center, Dasan 120, which is a public service that attempts to resolve the concerns of citizens in real-time through telephone, videophone, text messages and the Internet.

Before launching the center, Seoul residents had to find the right phone number to reach one of the desired 46,000 city officials.

The winners of INDEX: Award 2011 will be announced at a gala event on Sept. 2, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The winners of each category will be awarded 100,000 euros.

(yoav@heraldcorp.com)