# Design Busan 2026 Launches Across Six Districts Featuring 133 Companies

- Published: 2026-11-10 09:54 UTC
- Section: Industry & People › Expos & events
- Tags: Design Busan 2026, DRB Industrial, BPEX design fair, urban design hackathon, marine leisure products, Busan 2028 World Design Capital
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-03f031cd7b50f4fa45002b3a_design_busan_2026/

**The 11-day event repurposes industrial infrastructure, showcases marine products, and hosts international urban design sessions.**

![Design Busan 2026 Launches Across Six Districts Featuring 133 Companies](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/67305ceba0f5cf74.jpg)
*Carmadesign Studio, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

The city of Busan launched the "Design Busan 2026" program on Thursday across six administrative districts, scheduled to run through Nov. 15, biz.heraldcorp.com reported [1]. Organized under the theme "Sea, People, Environment," the event gathers 133 companies, 15 universities representing 11 countries, and 331 registered participants, including designers, residents, and university students [1]. The operational footprint spans Dongnae-gu, Dong-gu, Busanjin-gu, Haeundae-gu, Suyeong-gu, and Gangseo-gu [1].

## Industrial Site Repurposing and Upcycling

The event opened at DRB Industrial's Dongnae factory, converting the former rubber manufacturing facility into a temporary design exhibition space [1]. The installation, titled "From Waste to Wonder," incorporates industrial heritage elements and discarded manufacturing byproducts, including rubber scraps, rebar, abandoned fishing nets, and styrofoam [1]. The site also displays "My Bear," a four-meter polar bear sculpture by artist Byeon Dae-yong [1]. Additional program modules include student workshops at the F1963 complex in Suyeong-gu focused on elderly mobility services and sustainable beach furniture, alongside a DBEW 2026 design award exhibition staged at Gimhae International Airport's domestic terminal [1].

## Commercial Fair and Urban Planning Hackathon

A three-day design fair opened at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX) in Dong-gu, running from Nov. 9 through Nov. 11 [1]. Exhibitors, including local firms Lumena, Oxford, and Akerd, are presenting marine leisure gear and industrial design products, supported by dedicated buyer-consultation sessions scheduled for Nov. 10 [1]. 

The program incorporates a Nov. 9 design summit featuring five international specialists examining municipal policy, industrial design, and cultural strategy [1]. A subsequent design hackathon on Nov. 11 convenes 110 participants across 10 teams tasked with developing solutions for regional urban challenges [1]. Municipal representatives noted that the initiative builds operational infrastructure ahead of Busan's designated role as the 2028 World Design Capital [1].

## Sources

1. [biz.heraldcorp.com](https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10922520)
2. [yna.co.kr](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261109015300051)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-03f031cd7b50f4fa45002b3a_design_busan_2026/