On Monday, June 15, the Department of Automotive and Transportation Design at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) held a first-semester concept review for its industry-academia collaboration project in mobility design with PriestmanGoode (hereinafter PG), a UK-based mobility design firm.

During the event, designers from PG, including Associate Director Lee Harding, visited Kookmin University to review the students’ first-semester project progress and provide feedback on each team’s concepts. This industry-academia collaboration project was organized to propose future mobility solutions addressing Seoul’s urban sprawl and traffic congestion. Drawing on Seoul’s transportation environment and the “Seoul 2050 Grand Plan,” among other references, the students are exploring directions for building a user-centered mobility ecosystem.

Three teams composed of current students from Kookmin University’s Department of Automotive and Transportation Design participated in the project. The students conducted field surveys and user interviews focused on Seoul’s urban expansion, mobility issues, and user experience, and based on this research, they presented their mid-semester results.

Each team presented various design directions, including mobility solutions centered on transportation hubs expanded from the Four Great Gates of Hanyang during the Joseon Dynasty, proposals for waterborne mobility on the Han River and related infrastructure, and concepts for vertical mobility for people with limited mobility. PG designers reviewed the students’ concepts and provided specific feedback from the perspective of the actual mobility design industry.

Lee Harding, PG Associate Director, said, “I was impressed by how the students approached the project by deeply exploring the real challenges facing Seoul’s future urban environment,” adding, “These concepts demonstrated not only a spirit of creative challenge but also an understanding of how design can transform people’s mobility experiences within the city.” He continued, “Such industry-academia collaboration can serve as a driving force for the mobility design industry’s future, and I look forward to seeing how the students will develop their projects over the next semester.”

Professor Roe Jae-seung of the Department of Automotive and Transportation Design at Kookmin University said, “I am grateful to the PG designers for visiting Kookmin University in person to communicate with the students and provide feedback.” He added, “It was a meaningful opportunity for the students to discuss the direction of the project with practicing designers, and in the second semester, we will further refine the concept based on this feedback to produce meaningful results.”

This one-year project focuses on public transportation and shared mobility, examining user mobility experiences and services while proposing new mobility devices and infrastructure. Upon completion of the project, students will also have the opportunity to participate in a design internship at PG’s headquarters in London, UK.

△ Concept Review for the Industry-Academia Mobility Design Project