Platinum Street Furniture Design · 2025
Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter
by LG Electronics Corporate Design Center
- A' Design Award 2025 Platinum Winner in Street Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Seongdong-District Office
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 923,819
- Verification code A3B36A2958 · Verify this award
About Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter
Seongdong Smart Shelter is a bus shelter designed to make waiting at roadside stops safer and more comfortable. Curved laminated glass sides give an unobstructed view of approaching buses, so passengers need not step onto the road. Safety features include cameras, a panic button and an abnormal sound detector. Air conditioning, air sterilization and automatic screen doors improve comfort. A hearing loop, a wheelchair zone and audio and visual bus arrival information assist passengers who need mobility support. All facilities are controlled remotely.
Emerging from contemporary discourse surrounding the humanization of public infrastructure, Seongdong-District Office's Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter exemplifies a thoughtful synthesis of biophilic design principles and advanced civic technology that transforms mundane transit waiting into an experience of comfort and visual delight. The shelter's commanding presence derives from its masterful deployment of warm timber cladding, whose vertical rhythm creates a visual cadence reminiscent of traditional screen architecture while housing thoroughly modern amenities including digital information systems and apparent climate control. The designer appears to have engaged deeply with questions of how public spaces might nurture rather than merely contain their users, selecting materials that radiate warmth both literally and metaphorically against the cool anonymity of typical urban infrastructure. Compositionally, the structure achieves remarkable balance between transparency and enclosure, its glass panels permitting visual connection to the surrounding streetscape while the wooden core provides psychological shelter and thermal comfort. The chromatic strategy demonstrates sophisticated understanding of color's affective potential, the amber and sienna tones of the wood creating an island of warmth within the blue-gray palette of the nocturnal urban environment. This work may reference several design traditions: the biophilic movement's emphasis on natural materials in built environments, Scandinavian design's celebration of wood as a humanizing element, and East Asian architectural traditions of the pavilion as a place of pause and contemplation. The integration of technology appears seamless rather than intrusive, with digital displays providing functional information without dominating the shelter's welcoming character. How might this approach to public infrastructure design influence broader conversations about the role of civic spaces in fostering community wellbeing and urban identity?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- It was made to protect people from extreme conditions/unexpected accidents on the road and the mobility rights for the people who need the mobility assistance. It consists of safety facilities(CCTV, panic button, abnormal sound detector), health facilities(air conditioner, air sterilizer, thermal imaging camera), and facilities for the vulnerable(hearing-loop, wheelchair zone, bus arrival audio&video) remotely controlled by IoT technology, designed to make the waiting-time safe and comfortable.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Size: W5,900mm*D2,400mm*H2,800mm, Main structure: 100*100*3.2T SRT275 (anti-rust), Floor finish: GL 2.05 moisture-proof+15T waterproof plywood+mineral decking, Exterior finish: GL 2.0T (anti-rust)+Specified color urethane paint, Glass Frame: W20*H20*2.0T AL, Glass 12T laminated tempered glass: 6T tempered glass+insulation film+6T tempered glass, Exterior/Inner louver: 50*50 composite wood/38*38 jute cedar wood, Auto-opening screen door: W2,400*H2,400*D100 with barrier-free opening&closing system
- Tags
- Shelter, Bus, Bus Shelter, Station, Smart, Public Transportation, Futuristic
- Production Technology
- It's a democratic project in which all residents participated, using a Living Lab to organize the necessary functions based on resident participation (Private), LG Electronics provided excellent design support (Industrial), a university composed the music for the shelter (School), and big data was used to select and promote the location (Public). It also incorporated advanced technologies such as an IoT-based remote control system to enable users and administrators to interact with each other.
- Design Challenge
- When we first introduced the facility, 'Transformed Bus Shelter', the rationale for its installation was not clear so it took time to get the cooperation of related organizations. The budget was secured by being selected for the 'Smart City Creation Project' by the Government. We also received design support from LG Electronics through a business agreement. Difficulties during installation, such as the width of the road and opposition from neighboring stores, were resolved through various ideas.
- Project Duration
- This project have started from 1. 2019. until 7. 2021. for the medium-sized one. And we’re making the smaller one since 5. 2022(On going). And the locations are bus stops throughout Seongdong District.
- Operation Flow
- While the main focus of the design was to ensure safe boarding and alighting and to provide accurate bus information, the aftermath of COVID-19 required smarter management. So thermal imaging cameras were installed at the entrance and exit doors.Later, thermal efficiency was improved by installing blinds and coating insulation paper, and a smaller version was invented to be installed on narrower roads. Recently, hearing-loop and AED were installed for the people who need the mobility assistance.
- Research
- The research focused on two areas: improving the comfort of shelter users and ensuring safety and sustainability. Externally, the design was modeled after the Seoul Forest, a local icon, and internally, IoT and AI technologies that can respond to users' needs instantly were key to the plan. The installation location was selected based on the results of the living lab (residents' meeting), crime rate statistics for each area in the district, and the number of people getting on and off the bus.
- Inspiration
- The main goal of bus passengers is to safely and accurately identify and board buses on dangerous roads. Designing the shelter, we realized that passengers, like meerkats, are often checking for bus arrivals and venturing onto dangerous sidewalks. So we made the sides of the shelter with curved glass to ensure an unobstructed view from inside. We also equipped the shelter with essential amenities to make it more than just a bus stop, but a cafe-like space where anyone can relax and take a break.
- Image Credits
- Seongdong-District Office, 2024
Colors of Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter
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When designing the Smart Shelter, we considered using steel frames on both sides, which would have made the structure much easier to build. However, we realized that this design would obstruct passengers’ view of approaching buses. Inspired by the vigilant behavior of meerkats watching their surroundings, we designed the shelter’s corners with curved glass. This allows passengers to easily see outside and check for buses without having to stand up or lean forward.
The Seongdong Smart Shelter utilizes an IoT-based remote control system to monitor its interior in real time through 24-hour CCTV surveillance. When users experience any inconvenience, they can press the emergency bell to be immediately connected to the management center for assistance. This system enables constant communication between users and administrators, allowing issues to be resolved promptly. As a result, user safety and convenience are significantly enhanced, leading to an overall improvement in the user experience.
In developing the Seongdong Smart Shelter, Seongdong District collaborated with residents, LG Electronics, and universities over the course of a year through multiple rounds of discussions. The project gathered ideas from users’ perspectives to determine the functions they truly needed, while working with LG Electronics to design a shelter that balances functionality and aesthetics. The district also worked closely with manufacturing partners to find efficient and practical implementation methods. Through this intensive communication and coordination among various stakeholders, the project was able to maintain a consistent design vision and achieve a highly refined and effective smart shelter.
The Seongdong Smart Shelter incorporates a hearing loop system whose design features artwork created by a hearing-impaired painter, adding both aesthetic and symbolic meaning. In addition, a dedicated wheelchair zone has been established to ensure that mobility-impaired users can wait comfortably and safely. These inclusive design elements reflect deep consideration for transportation-vulnerable individuals and demonstrate the Smart Shelter’s commitment to being an open and accessible space for everyone.
The experience of introducing thermal imaging systems during the COVID-19 response became a valuable example that demonstrated the need for public infrastructure to be flexible and responsive in times of crisis.
Our main focus was to ensure that passengers can quickly receive help in dangerous situations and easily request assistance when needed. The shelter is equipped with CCTV and abnormal sound detection systems to identify potential risks in advance, and in case of an emergency, passengers can be instantly connected to local police or emergency responders.
The environmental control system of the Seongdong Smart Shelter was designed on the principle that public infrastructure must deliver comfort while ensuring long-term sustainability. To achieve this, we adopted an adaptive energy-management model that automatically adjusts cooling, heating, ventilation, and sterilization based on real-time sensor data, including temperature, humidity, CO₂ levels, and user presence. This approach minimizes unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining a stable and comfortable micro-climate for users. Through this balance, the shelter achieves both environmental responsibility and user-centered performance.
The Platinum recognition from the A’ Design Award affirms the Smart Shelter as a future-ready model of street furniture, and we see its evolution extending beyond climate-control functions. As cities face new mobility challenges—such as multimodal transport, aging populations, and carbon-neutral policies—the Smart Shelter can grow into a micro mobility-support hub with real-time mobility information, integrated e-mobility charging, AI-driven safety monitoring, and energy-self-sufficient systems using solar generation and intelligent storage. In the long term, we envision a modular platform adaptable to various urban fabrics, functioning as both transportation infrastructure and a resilient public-safety node.
Seongdong District is located along the Han River and is home to Seoul Forest, one of Seoul’s most prominent green spaces. Reflecting this local characteristic, the design of the Smart Shelter was inspired by Seoul Forest, incorporating wood in the interior to convey a sense of natural warmth. Vertical lines were applied to evoke the image of a forest, while durable steel materials were integrated to enhance structural strength and modernity. Through this combination, the design achieves a harmonious balance between traditional warmth and contemporary elegance.
Seongdong District was the first in Korea to operate a Smart Shelter equipped with an IoT-based remote control system. As a result, many other local governments visited Seongdong to benchmark the project, and we shared our operational experience and know-how with them.Our key insight for municipalities seeking to implement similar smart-city infrastructure is that technology should be treated as a means to solve real community problems, not as an end in itself. We recommend beginning with pilot installations to validate effectiveness, involving residents from the early stages, and strengthening inter-departmental cooperation for maintenance and operation.