The Seoul Metropolitan Government's public rest installation Handeulhandeul / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
A hammock-inspired public rest installation by the Seoul Metropolitan Government has won the Main Prize in the Urban Design category at the Red Dot Design Award 2026, one of the world's three most prestigious design honors alongside Germany's iF Design Award and the U.S. IDEA Design Award.
The installation, named Handeulhandeul — evoking the Korean expression for something swaying gently in the breeze — was first introduced at Seoul Plaza in 2025 as part of the city's "Fun Design" public space initiative. Judges cited its creative design, citizen-centered public utility and exceptional use of space.
Handeulhandeul features soft curved forms and hammock-style materials that suggest movement in the wind, and comes in three configurations. One model allows users to lie back and look up at the sky, while another rotates gently to offer a 360-degree view of the surroundings. The design draws inspiration from lotus flowers and leaves, and uses nature-friendly colors to blend into plazas, parks and other outdoor environments. Its modular, portable structure also allows it to be relocated seasonally or for specific events.
The Fun Design series launched in 2024 at Ttukseom Hangang Park and has since expanded to Boramae Park and Seoul Plaza. This year, the city plans to roll out additional installations at Seoul Forest, Hangang parks and neighborhood walking paths, developing the series into a signature spatial design brand for Seoul. Handeulhandeul is currently on display at Seoul Forest as part of the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show.
"This award is global recognition of the excellence of Seoul's Fun Design policy," said Choi In-gyu, director-general of the Design Policy Bureau at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
"We will continue developing and expanding the outdoor rest space series so that more citizens and visitors can experience Seoul as a genuinely attractive city."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
