Design Busan 2026 Launches Across Six Districts Featuring 133 Companies
The 11-day event repurposes industrial infrastructure, showcases marine products, and hosts international urban design sessions.
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 biz.heraldcorp.com
biz.heraldcorp.combiz.heraldcorp.comOpen source ↗. 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. The operational footprint spans Dongnae-gu, Dong-gu, Busanjin-gu, Haeundae-gu, Suyeong-gu, and Gangseo-gu.
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. The installation, titled "From Waste to Wonder," incorporates industrial heritage elements and discarded manufacturing byproducts, including rubber scraps, rebar, abandoned fishing nets, and styrofoam. The site also displays "My Bear," a four-meter polar bear sculpture by artist Byeon Dae-yong. 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.
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. 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.
The program incorporates a Nov. 9 design summit featuring five international specialists examining municipal policy, industrial design, and cultural strategy biz.heraldcorp.com
biz.heraldcorp.combiz.heraldcorp.comOpen source ↗. A subsequent design hackathon on Nov. 11 convenes 110 participants across 10 teams tasked with developing solutions for regional urban challenges. Municipal representatives noted that the initiative builds operational infrastructure ahead of Busan's designated role as the 2028 World Design Capital.
