Rapid increase in applications for life-oriented public design products
- Evolution of public design to prevent inconvenience and anxiety of citizens -
This past summer, unpredictable weather such as heat waves and heavy rain caused serious damage nationwide. In such periods like this in which weather forecasting is difficult due to climate change, life-oriented public design facilities are playing a role as shelters for citizens. A street-side sun shelter installed in front of a crosswalk or on a traffic island is used as a shelter for pedestrians to cool off under during a heat wave or to avoid downpours during a rainstorm. A warming tent at a bus stop helps passengers avoid the cold for a while during the winter season. In this way, public design that is close to life is attracting attention to solve inconveniences in citizens' daily lives.
Whereas public design in the past focused on enhancing the functionality of cities and improving aesthetics, it has now evolved into a life-oriented public design that prevents cold or heat and protects citizens from crime, and consequently, it appears that applications for related design products are increasing.
According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the numbers of applications for life-oriented public designs (streetside sun shelters, warming tents, smart security lights, etc.) were only 4 in 2014 and 1 in 2015, but the filing of design applications became steadily active from that point on as there were 14 cases in 2016 and 62 such cases in 2019.
In the case of sun shelters (parasols), which can be used to temporarily avoid the sun and heat during signal waiting time in front of a crosswalk, there were no design applications before 2016, but the amount then grew rapidly as there were 5 cases in 2016, 12 cases in 2017, 31 cases in 2018, and 25 cases in 2019.
Regarding bus stop warming tents that protect bus users from getting too cold in the winter, there were no applications before 2018, but the number of such design applications has been grown to a total of 24 cases, including 3 cases in 2018, 16 cases in 2019, and 9 such cases by June of 2020.
In the case of smart security lights equipped with emergency bells to protect citizens from crime, there were only 4 cases in 2014 and 1 case in 2015, but a total of 21 cases are found to have been filed last year.
Application trend for life-oriented public design products
Application Trend by Life-Friendly Public Design Items
Such public facilities are regarded as representative successful cases of the life-oriented public designs that have spread nationwide, and it is analyzed that this reflects the will of local governments to provide preemptive public services by actively solving the small inconveniences and anxiety factors of local residents.
As the role of public design expands as a means of taking into consideration the convenience and safety of citizens in their daily lives, interest in the life-oriented public design is also expected to continue.
The Chief of the Home and Daily Goods Design Examination Division of KIPO said, "As the role of public design is expanding, it is expected that applications for various life-oriented public design products that solve the inconveniences and anxieties of citizens and consider convenience will increase steadily in the future."
[Source: KIPO]