Seoul (Republic of Korea), 19 October 2026 — The Seoul Design Foundation held the World Design Congress Seoul Preview on 14 October 2026 at the Design Hall on the third floor of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) Design Lab, unveiling the vision and theme of World Design Congress 2027, which will take place in Seoul in September 2027.
The event was organized to share the vision and key messages of the upcoming Congress and explore how design can contribute to sustainable living and positive social change. Bringing together design professionals and key stakeholders from Korea and abroad, the Preview provided a platform to exchange perspectives on the future of design and the significance of hosting the 2027 Congress in Seoul.
The event was held under the theme Design for a Sustainable Life, reflecting the Congress’s overarching message, Think, Make, Change. Together, these themes express a vision of design that extends beyond the creation of products and spaces to encompass practical approaches to addressing societal challenges and transforming everyday life and communities.
Global design leaders explore the future of design for a sustainable life
The panel discussion was moderated by Makiko Tsumura, President-Elect of World Design Organization (WDO), and featured experts including Gil-young Song, Sehun Choi, and Tate Eun-young Kim. The panel explored the evolving role of design and its potential to shape the future.
Discussions addressed emerging trends in a rapidly changing social and technological landscape, the roles and capabilities expected of future designers, and the distinctive strengths of human creativity in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Panelists also examined how technological advances are reshaping people’s experiences and everyday lives, sharing perspectives on the questions design should raise and the new forms of value it can create in a changing world.
The discussion highlighted the importance of design not merely as a means of supporting technological and industrial development, but as a human-centred practice that can help envision and realize a more sustainable future.
Official slogan ‘Think, Make, Change’ unveiled
The event also featured the official launch of the theme and slogan for World Design Congress 2027 Seoul: Think, Make, Change.
The slogan encapsulates a process of transformation through design: rethinking challenges from new perspectives (Think), translating ideas into tangible solutions and action (Make), and creating positive change in society and everyday life (Change).
The official theme visually expresses the Congress’s vision and identity. It will serve as a shared visual language connecting design professionals, institutions, businesses, and citizens around the world.
Building on this identity, Seoul aims to establish the Congress as a global platform where diverse perspectives and experiences converge, enabling the international design community to exchange ideas and collectively envision a more sustainable future through design.
Seoul to welcome the global design community in September 2027
World Design Congress 2027 Seoul will take place from 22 to 25 September 2027, with DDP serving as its central venue and activities extending across Seoul. Jointly hosted by World Design Organization and Seoul Design Foundation, the Congress will bring together the global design community to exchange ideas on key issues shaping the field and explore the potential of design to drive social and industrial transformation.
The 2027 Congress will also mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the WDO, adding further significance to Seoul’s role as host city. Drawing on its accumulated design expertise and diverse urban experiences, Seoul will work with the international design community to explore the role of design in advancing sustainable living and identify practical ways to translate shared ambitions into action.
As shared by Kang Heui Cha, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation, “the World Design Congress Seoul Preview provided an opportunity to share the vision and key messages of the 2027 Congress and explore how design can bring about meaningful change in our society and everyday lives. In keeping with the spirit of our official slogan, ‘Think, Make, Change,’ we will do our utmost to bring together diverse ideas and practices from around the world and help shape a better future through design.”
The World Design Congress is an international, biennial design event spearheaded by World Design Organization (WDO). Since 1959, it has provided a forum for discussing key issues and future directions in global design while promoting the social and economic value of design.
For more information about World Design Congress 2027 Seoul, visit the official website: www.worlddesigncongress2027seoul.com.
