[Herald Interview] Aedas chairman: Problems with Lotte World Tower ‘unusual’

Koreans seem to be keener than ever on safety issues after witnessing a series of accidents this year, including the Sewol ferry disaster that killed more than 300 passengers and the deadly collapse of a ventilation grate at a concert venue.Adding to the safety concerns recently have been the geological problems and construction flaws affecting the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, which is expected to be the sixth-tallest building in the world when completed in 2016. Keith Griffiths, the chairman of

Dec. 15, 2014

Warmth, comfort of handmade crafts

A hand-carved ceramic vessel, an origami-inspired molded ceramic bowl and a tree-shaped vertical wooden clothes rack. The craftwork to be showcased at the ninth edition of the Craft Trend Fair on Thursday at Coex attempts to bring elegance and warmth to functional modern lifestyles. It is the biggest showcase of craftwork in Korea, and its 2014 exhibition is dealing with a theme entitled “Temperature of Craft at 36.5 degrees Celsius” to highlight the heartwarming humanism of handmade craftwork.“

Dec. 14, 2014

[Weekender] ‘Where we live defines us’

A box-shaped apartment complex has been a dominant housing option for Koreans for decades. The government has encouraged the development of such complexes, considering them as the most efficient type of housing to accommodate a large number of people in the country given its limited land. The popularity of apartments has was the most profitable investment tool in Korea until the housing market bubble bust, hit by the global economic downturn in 2008.Against this backdrop, with the demand for a b

Dec. 12, 2014

[Weekender] ‘HOUSHOW’ brings dream houses to life

The Association of Young Architects launched the HOUSHOW initiative, a dream house-building project, in 2012. For the first project, it selected six candidates among 80 applicants and then met with them in person to discuss the design of their dream house. As a gift, the project offered them a floor plan, a perspective drawing and a model so that they could build the actual house one day. Below is the brief introduction of four such houses.01. Raon HausA couple in their early 40s with two young

Dec. 12, 2014

‘The Nutcracker’-inspired jewelry to go on show at 10 Corso Como

A group of six jewelry designers will present a collection inspired by the Christmas ritual ballet performance “The Nutcracker” for the coming Christmas season. The jewels are made in collaboration with the Korea National Ballet and The Showcase Lab, which consists of leading jewelry designers in Korea. They will be on exhibit at the trendy shopping spot 10 Corso Como in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, from Dec. 11-25. The collection features 50 jewelry pieces with five Nutcracker characters adorned with

Dec. 3, 2014

[Design Forum] Design city moving forward

When Paul Cocksedge, a London-based light designer, entered Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a futuristic Seoul landmark designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, he was in awe of the unusual architecture and its spaciousness. “This building feels really healthy with lots of walking,” said the designer on Friday during the Design Talk, part of Seoul Design Week, which was held from Nov. 26-30.Five designers talked about three topics: the DDP, Korea’s design content and the Seoul Design Spot Tour.

Nov. 30, 2014

[Design Forum] Seoul is city in an 'impossible place’

As one of the greatest architectural figures in modern times, Rem Koolhaas has designed structures that can be seen in major cities across the globe. Founder of the architecture firm OMA and a Harvard University professor, Koolhaas is widely considered one of the world’s most influential architects and is the mind behind the visually perplexing CCTV Headquarters building in Beijing as well as the Seoul National University Museum of Art. The architect, who was one of the keynote speakers at this

Nov. 27, 2014

[Design Forum] Innovators discuss bridging gap between business and design

As part of the Herald Design Forum 2014, four leading experts in the fields of marketing and design gathered at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Seoul on Wednesday to share their insights during the Herald Design Premium Talk. This year’s talks featured two separate sessions under the theme “Design Changes the World ― Design Management and Design Storming.” The first session touched upon issues of corporate social responsibility and design innovation and was led by Alexander Schill, global chief creat

Nov. 27, 2014

[Design Forum] Herald forum explores expanding role of design

World-renowned thinkers and practitioners of design on Wednesday explored the growing role of design in making human life richer, healthier and more sustainable in the fourth annual Herald Design Forum in Seoul. Top architect Rem Koolhaas, advertising guru Alex Schill and other prominent figures shared their vision, philosophy and professional knowledge at the nation’s largest conference on design held in Dongdaemun Design Plaza. “The biggest adversary of a good design is not a bad design, but a

Nov. 26, 2014

[Design Forum] Mixing couture with ready-to-wear

In 1998, at age 21, Olivier Theyskens was already a darling of the fashion world. Ever since Madonna wore his dress to the year’s Golden Globes, his creations won many praises from fashion people around the world and the media. After wrapping up his own brand in 2001, he worked as creative director for Rochas from 2003 and then moved to Nina Ricci in 2006, both in Paris. In 2011, he moved to New York to work for Theory which he left in June. “It was like a systematic move every few years,” the d

Nov. 26, 2014

[Design Forum] Injecting new life into derelict structures

An abandoned elevated railway line is reborn into a lovely public garden. A derelict factory becomes a food cosmopolis, attracting not just local grocery shoppers, but also foreign tourists.The former is the High Line and the latter Chelsea Market. Both in Manhattan, New York, they are regarded as the most celebrated urban reuse projects of our time. The architects behind the two projects shared their experiences in Seoul, a city with noticeable design aspirations. Speaking at the Herald Digital

Nov. 26, 2014

[Design Forum] The true virtue of modern art

Chris Riggs, a New York-based artist who is best known for its art toy “Dunny,” on Wednesday stressed the power of modern art that changes the way people feel, think and act. “Modern art has no boundaries. If you can think it, you can make it happen,” he said. “Everyone is born an artist. I just continued to be an artist, making art my life’s work.”The 40-year-old artist was delivering a special lecture during the Herald Design Forum 2014 that was held at Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza.A former

Nov. 26, 2014

[Design Forum] Adding familiar vibe to most special occasions

How to throw a party that is unforgettable, fun and classy?Celebrated caterer Peter Callahan, who has catered some of the finest events for Martha Stewart, Barack Obama, Vera Wang and many more A-listers, offers his food for thought: “shrink it.”He is known for specializing miniature versions of deserts and American comfort food favorites, including mini-burger, finger-sized tacos with mini Patron bottle margarita and teensy lobster rolls, starting the mini-food craze in New York.  Peter Callaha

Nov. 26, 2014

Herald Design Forum stimulates discussion on design

The 2014 Herald Design Forum explored key issues of design in modern society: What makes good design? And how can design make the world a better place?Some of the world’s most highly renowned designers gathered to talk about the fundamental, pressing issues that design faces in the contemporary world. 　The forum opened with a speech by Herald Corp. chairman Hong Jung-wook, who stressed the importance of good design in a complex, profit-chasing world.　“Good design is the combination of aesthetics

Nov. 26, 2014

[Design Forum] Advertising guru cites open-mindedness as first condition for creativity

Alex Schill, the global chief creative officer and a partner of Serviceplan Group, loves to challenge his juniors. Whenever his younger associates succeed in a project that he did not approve of in the beginning, he grants them a bonus. “That happens quite often and I do lose a lot of money,” Schill said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Monday. Schill, who holds 50 Cannes Lions, including two Grand Prix in 2012 and 2013, believes admitting to his failures has helped him become more creat

Nov. 25, 2014

Seoul to celebrate homegrown design

Seoul Design Week kicks off Wednesday, introducing homegrown designers and their products while facilitating discussions on design with some of the world’s most renowned creative minds. The five-day design festival, co-organized by the Seoul Design Foundation, Herald Corp. and Design House, will provide programs throughout the capital city with two hub venues, Coex and Dongdaemun Design Plaza, hosting the main events.Design product exhibitions and markets will be held at Coex and DDP from Wednes

Nov. 24, 2014

[Design Forum] Creative minds flock to Herald Design Forum

The fourth edition of the Herald Design Forum is bringing together the world’s most prominent designers and industry experts in Seoul to discuss innovations driven by design thinking. Gurus in architecture, product design, fashion, urban design and art toys will give lectures and lead discussions between industry experts and Korean audiences. Here are brief introductions of the key speakers at the 2014 Herald Design Forum, to be held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Nov. 26. Rem Koolha

Nov. 23, 2014