Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter by LG Electronics Corporate Design Center is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Platinum A' Design Award in Street Furniture Design Competition Category.
PlatinumStreet Furniture· 2025
Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter
by LG Electronics Corporate Design Center
Client: Seongdong-District Office
Platinum A' Design Award Winner in Street Furniture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #161636The Design
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.
The Recognition
About the Platinum A' Design Award
Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter is a Platinum A' Design Award winner, an extremely prestigious recognition granted to truly exceptional, elegant, and magnificent designs. Platinum winners are marvels of creation, testaments to the limits of intellectual creativity, and demonstrate the unmatched professionalism and genius of their designers. These designs are expected to be the most renowned works that define the aesthetics of an era, contribute to the well-being of society, and push the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter exhibits a transcendent level of excellence and unequivocally makes the world a better place with its advantageous and worthwhile characteristics. Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter is a Platinum A' Design Award-winning work that triggers desires, inspires, excites, delights, and sparks great joy.
Where to Get It
Smart City Infrastructure and Innovation Services
We pioneer citizen-centered smart city solutions that enhance urban living. Our award-winning approach combines IoT technology, community participation, and inclusive design to create safer, more accessible public spaces for all residents.
Learn MoreInterviews
Grand Interview
Your innovative approach to protecting citizens through the Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter draws inspiration from meerkats' vigilant behavior - could you elaborate on how this natural observation influenced your design decisions, particularly the curved glass implementation?
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 integration of IoT-based remote control systems in the Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter represents a significant technological advancement - how does this system facilitate interaction between users and administrators while enhancing the overall user experience?
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.
Given the complex collaboration between residents, LG Electronics, universities, and public entities in creating the Seongdong Smart Shelter Futuristic Bus Shelter, how did you manage to harmonize these diverse perspectives while maintaining a cohesive design vision?
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.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Team Members
- LG Electronics Corporate Design Center
MIJU KIM
EP KOREA - Image Credits
- Seongdong-District Office, 2024
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