Event runs Thursday through Nov. 15 across six districts

DRB Industrial factory to become art and design exhibition space

BPEX design fair to showcase marine leisure products and more

The official poster for Design Busan 2026 [Busan city government]
The official poster for Design Busan 2026 [Busan city government]

Busan will turn the entire city into a design stage as "Design Busan 2026" opens Thursday for an 11-day run through Nov. 15, with the theme "Sea, People, Environment." The event will span six districts — Dongnae-gu, Dong-gu, Busanjin-gu, Haeundae-gu, Suyeong-gu and Gangseo-gu — and will bring together 15 universities from 11 countries, 133 companies, and 331 participants including residents, university students and designers.

The opening ceremony will be held at DRB Industrial's Dongnae factory, where a themed design exhibition will repurpose the former rubber-products factory into an art and design exhibition space by incorporating industrial heritage and discarded materials. Under the theme "From Waste to Wonder," the exhibition will display works made from rebar, rubber scraps, discarded fishing nets and styrofoam left behind in the factory. A 4-meter polar bear sculpture titled "My Bear," by artist Byeon Dae-yong, will also be on show.

A global collaboration workshop at F1963 in Suyeong-gu will bring together university students from nine countries to develop design concepts for everyday needs, including mobility services for the elderly and sustainable beach furniture. Members of the public will also be able to create and display mobiles inspired by the Busan seagull at F1963. The domestic terminal art hall at Gimhae International Airport will host an exhibition of winning works from DBEW 2026, an international design award centered on the theme "Design Beyond East and West."

A design fair at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX) in Dong-gu will run for three days from Nov. 9 through Nov. 11, showcasing products and technology from domestic and international design firms and Busan-based companies. Local companies including Lumena, Oxford and Akerd will exhibit a range of products spanning marine leisure goods and industrial design. On Nov. 10, business consultations between domestic and international buyers and companies will take place in a business lounge.

A design summit on Nov. 9 will feature five experts from three countries discussing the role of design in cities, culture, industry and policy, while a design hackathon on Nov. 11 will see 110 participants across 10 teams develop design ideas to address urban challenges in Busan. At F1963, Haeundae Platform and KT&G Sangsangmadang, 24 local companies will present products ranging from everyday lifestyle goods to distinctive design merchandise.

The city plans to leverage its selection as the 2028 World Design Capital as an opportunity to develop its industrial heritage, culture and everyday spaces as design assets, while expanding exchanges among designers and companies from home and abroad.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com