#Guidelines

GUIDELINES

Overview

  • Competition Title

    2025 Big International Design Competition - “Public space design Project 2”
  • Purpose of the Competition

    • To identify and promote outstanding public designs that contribute to the creation of an attractive Global Hub City, Busan
    • To discover, develop, and disseminate world-class public designs specifically tailored for Busan
  • Host Organization

    Busan Metropolitan City, Design Council Busan
  • Application period

    • Stage 1 Proposal Submission : Apr. 22(Tue) - May 19(Mon), 2025, 18:00
    • Stage 2 Entry Submission : Jul. 31(Thu), 2025, 18:00
  • Announcement of Final Selected finalist

    Aug. 11 (Wed), 2025
  • Actual Design

    Mid-Aug. to Oct. 2025
  • Construction

    Mid-Oct. to Dec. 2025

Competition Format

  • This competition proceeds as a two-stage international design competition.
  • (Stage 1) Two (2) teams will be selected based on the evaluation of applications submitted through the international design competition.
    1. Proposal, Portfolio Application Submission
    2. Proposal Assessment Written Evaluation
    3. Selection of Two Companies Announcement of Results
  • (Stage 2) Following the evaluation of design proposals submitted by the two teams selected in Stage 1, one (1) final team will be selected.
    1. Design Statement, Presentation Materials Design Submissions
    2. Design Evaluation Presentation Evaluation
    3. Final Selection: One Company (Final Awardee) Final Announcement of Results

    ※ Once a team advances to Stage 2 after passing Stage 1, no changes may be made to the original team composition, including the designated representative, as submitted during Stage 1. Exceptions may be permitted only in unavoidable circumstances such as the death of a key team member, or the bankruptcy, dissolution, or liquidation of the participating entity. However, even in such cases, if the team fails to submit the required documentation requested by Design Council Busan—such as supporting evidence, letters of confirmation regarding rights transfer, and other relevant materials—the change in team composition shall not be allowed.

  • The final awardee will be granted the contractual position to carry out detailed design development (implementation drawings), prototype production, installation, and design supervision during construction, based on further discussion with Design Council Busan: These tasks shall cover at least the seven (7) types of public facilities reviewed and approved by Design Council Busan.
    ※ Please note that Place-Making design is not included in the scope.

Theme : A Pause by the River

Scope of the Competition

Place Making and Public Goods design for one Designated Site

Designated Site: (Tentatively named) Busan Design Special District (Haeundae-gu and Suyeong-gu area)
- Approximately 2km stretch extending from Busan Museum of Art, through Dongseo University, Suyeonggang Human Bridge (currently under construction), and ending near Suyeong Hyundai Apartments

Scope of the Competition : Place Making and Public Goods designs

* Place Making : Place Making is an approach to urban planning and design that focuses on the people who use of space, rather than on physical structures or the buildings themselves. It aims to create environments that are not only functional, but also beautiful and meaningful to those who live, work, and engage in everyday life within them.

A. Place Making Design

  • Provide spatial design proposals for one of the sites within the designated design-specialized street such as pedestrian pathways, facades, and urban landscapes
  • Present design proposals reflecting the unique characteristics of the target site such as users behaviors, environmental context, and other surrounding conditions
  • Identify key spatial issues and propose design-driven solutions that address those challenges in a creative and feasible manner
  • Design proposals that consider the integration of the design with the surrounding environments, such as existing facilities, landmarks, and other relevant elements
  • Incorporate strategies for sustainability, maintenance, and long term management into the proposed design

B. Public Goods Design

  • Provide design proposals for at least seven (5 mandatory and a minimum of two optional facility types) or more public facilities in the Designated Site as set forth below:
    Mandatory Facilities : ① Bollard ② Directional Signage (Wayfinding Sinage) ③ Bicycle Parking Rack・Shared Mobility Parking Rack ④ Public Bench ⑤ Streetlight・Security Lights
    ※ Note : Directional signage are limited to those installed on streetlights and utility poles.
    ※ Streetlights and security lights shall be designed in accordance with the required specifications.
  • Optional Public Facilities : Trash bin, fences, tree guards, and other publicly installed facilities of the participant’s choosing

※ Note : “Public Facilities” are defined in accordance with the Public Design Promotion Act

  • A. Public transportation facilities, including public transportation stations or stops and bicycle racks;
  • B. Pedestrian safety facilities, including bollards and fences;
  • C. Convenience facilities, including benches, street stands, and pergolas;
  • D. Supply facilities, including manholes, fire hydrants, and traffic light control boxes;
  • E. Green facilities, including street tree guards, street flower stands, and fountains;
  • F. Guidance facilities, including direction signs, banner posts, and poster boards;
  • G. Other facilities corresponding to those specified in items A to F

※ Participants are encouraged to propose integrated multi-functional designs that consolidate various public facilities in a manner that enhances spatial organization and operational efficiency. Proposals may include any ancillary components integrated into the individual public facilities (e.g., streetlights combined with CCTV, emergency-call buttons, wayfinding signage, etc.).

Eligibility Requirements

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Qualifications for Participation

A. Eligible participants include domestic and international companies (or institutions) with verified expertise and a proven track record in the field of public design.

B. The representative company (or institution) must, as of the date of this announcement, have either received an award in a public design-related competition within the past three (3) years, or have completed at least three (3) public design-related projects.

※ During the application process, Design Council Busan may ask applicants to submit proof of previous project achievements, such as project completion certificates.

  • he representative participant must be legally qualified to enter into and perform the contract arising from this competition (e.g., a valid business registration).
  • The representative participant shall hold full legal authority to submit and withdraw documents, receive award payments, and grant or transfer design-related rights as required for the execution of this project.
  • Joint participation is permitted for up to two (2) entities, including the representative participant. There are no eligibility requirements for any non-representative entityparticipant.
    ※ Example of a Joint Consortium: Company/Organization A (Spatial Design) + Company/Organization B (Facility Design)
Participation Restrictions
  • Any company or institution (including both the representative and all consortium members) subject to administrative dispositions, such as registration cancellation, suspension of business, closure, or business restrictions, by relevant authorities as of the registration deadline, shall be disqualified from participation.
  • No entity may participate in multiple joint applications for this competition.
  • Individuals or organizations involved in the planning or operation of this project or design competition, including members of the operating committee, are strictly prohibited from participating.

Status and Obligations of the Selected Companies

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Two Selected Companies Advancing to Stage 2
  • Design Council Busan shall retain, for a period of five (5) years from the date of each contract, the right to use, reproduce, distribute, display, and publicly transmit any design outcomes and related submission materials (e.g., documents, drawings, and design files) produced by the selected participants. This includes the right to create derivative works, provided such use is limited to purposes of publication, exhibition, or media promotion carried out by Design Council Busan.
  • Selected participants shall not use the submitted materials for any purpose other than fulfilling the design competition and related services, without Design Council Busan’s prior written consent during the term of the agreement.
  • Design Council Busan may request revisions to the selected design to the extent reasonably necessary for actual implementation, and the selected participant shall comply with such requests as long as they do not substantially alter the original design concept.
The Final Selected Company
(Final Awardee)
  • The final awardee shall enter into a license agreement with Design Council Busan for the use of the design outcomes. Under this agreement, the final awardee shall grant Design Council Busan an exclusive right for five (5) years to freely construct, produce, install (including permanent installations), and operate the winning design within the project site and throughout the City of Busan, for public purposes. The compensation for this license is considered to be included in the prize award. The license shall be automatically renewed for an additional five (5) years unless the final awardee raises a formal objection at least three (3) months prior to the expiration of the original license period.
  • The final awardee will be granted the contractual position to carry out detailed design development (implementation drawings), prototype production, installation, and design supervision during construction, based on further discussion with Design Council Busan: These tasks shall cover at least the seven (7) types of public facilities reviewed and approved by Design Council Busan.
    ※ Please note that Place-Making design is not included in the scope.
  • During the detailed design phase, the final awardee shall consult with experts from relevant fields, including design firms, architects, and manufacturers, as requested by the Design Council Busan.

Prize

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Item Prize Remarks
Step 2 Advancement
(2 Teams)
KRW40,000,000 (Each)
(Approx. USD 27,390)
Design Development Fee
Final Awardee
(1Team)
KRW 70,000,000
(Approx. USD 47,940)
Detailed Design Fee
(Includes costs for structural review, regulatory approvals, and design supervision during construction)

※ All payments will be made in Korean Won (KRW) as indicated in the table above. The U.S. dollar (USD) equivalents shown are for reference only and are based on an exchange rate of USD 1 = KRW 1,460. The final applicable exchange rate shall be determined on the actual date of payment, based on the rate announced by KEB Hana Bank.
※ The prize amounts indicated above are inclusive of all applicable taxes in the Republic of Korea, as well as any associated fees and charges (e.g. international wire transfer fees). For the final awardee, the total amount includes costs related to detailed design, structural review, regulatory approvals, and design supervision during construction.

Schedule (Tentative)

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Item Date Remarks
Announcement Apr. 22 (Tue), 2025
  • Announcement published on the official websites
    (www.dcb.or.kr and https://big-idc.kr/)
Stage 1 QnA Submissions Apr. 23 (Wed) -
Apr. 28 (Mon), 2025, 18:00
  • All inquiries must be submitted via email at big-idc@dcb.or.kr
Stage 1 - QnA Response Apr. 30 (Wed), 2025
  • Responses to be provided individually via email
Stage 1 - Proposal Submission Apr. 21 (Mon) -
May 19 (Mon), 2025, 18:00
  • Approximately 4 weeks
  • Submissions accepted only via the competition website(https://big-idc.kr/)
Stage 1 - Proposal Evaluation By May 23 (Fri), 2025
  • Evaluation of proposals design proposals and portfolios
  • Selection of up to 2 finalists
Stage 1 - Result Announcement May 27 (Tue), 2025
  • Results to be announced on the competition website
    (https://big-idc.kr/)
Stage 2 - Design Submission Jul. 31 (Thu), 2025, 18:00
  • Approx 8 weeks
  • Submission accepted only via the competition website
    (https://big-idc.kr/)
Stage 2 - Final Evaluation By Aug. 6 (Fri.), 2025
  • Presentation-based evaluation(PT review)
Announcement of Final Awardee By Aug. 11 (Mon), 2025
  • Announcement to be posted on the website(https://big-idc.kr/)
Detailed Design Scheduled for Aug. to Oct. 2025
  • Approx 8 weeks
  • includes drawings, specifications, structural review of the final awardee
Seminar Scheduled for Sept. to Oct. 2025
  • Linked to Design Festival (Oct.)
Construction Scheduled for Oct. to Dec. 2025
  • Selection of contractors for construction - to be selected separately

※ All dates and times indicated in this guideline, including the competition schedule, are based on Korea Standard Time (KST, GMT+9). Please note that the schedule is subject to change at the discretion of Design Council Busan. Any changes or updates will be announced in a timely manner on the official competition website: https://big-idc.kr.

Submission Materials

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Division Details
(Stage 1) Upon Application
  • [Form 1] Application Form
  • [Form 2] Proposal Document (up to 10 pages) and Portfolio (up to 5 pages), combined total not to exceed 15 pages
    ※ For the Stage 1 design proposal, the submission must include: (1) the proposed types of Public Goods design for the designated site; (2) the overall design concept, including the approach, direction, and ideas related to Place Making and Public Goods; and (3) concepts on how different types and functions of Public Goods can be integrated. Please note that the fully developed final design outputs are not required at this stage.
  • [Form 3] Appointment Letter for the Designated Representative (for joint applications)
  • [Form 4] Letter of Commitment (one copy per participating entity in joint applications)
  • [Form 5] Confidentiality Agreement (one copy per participating entity in joint applications)
  • [Form 6] Consent to Use of Submitted Materials for Promotion and Publication (one copy per participating entity in joint applications)
  • [Form 7] List of Participants
(Stage 2) Upon Design Submission
  • Design Statement (no page limit)
  • Presentation Materials (PPT or PDF format, up to 30 pages; video content may be included if necessary)
  • Design Images: up to 10 images (A3 size, JPG format, minimum resolution of 300 dpi, max. file size per image: 20MB)
  • English materials may be requested if necessary.
General Requirements
  • All submissions and inquiries must be made exclusively through the official competition website: https://big-idc.kr
  • All submitted materials may be used for promotional purposes and publication (e.g., inclusion in a post-competition catalog). Upon request by Design Council Busan, the final awardee is expected to actively cooperate in entering the winning design into relevant international design competitions.
  • All required files must be fully uploaded before the submission deadline. Participants should allow sufficient time for the upload process. (※ Any incomplete uploads as of the deadline will be considered as failure to meet the submission deadline and will result in disqualification.)
  • All submissions from non-selected participants will be disposed of within six (6) months from the date the final awardee is publicly announced.
  • All personal information registered on the competition website and all submitted materials will remain confidential until the announcement of the final results. Participants must also refrain from disclosing any part of their submissions, including designs or related contents, through social media, press, or any other public channels prior to the official announcement. (※ Any violation of this confidentiality obligation by a selected awardee may result in cancellation of the selection.)
  • To ensure impartiality in the evaluation process, no submission shall include any names, logos, symbols, titles, or other identifiers that could reveal the identity of the applicant.

Evaluation Criteria and Procedures

A. Stage 1: Written Evaluation of Submitted Proposals

  • Two (2) teams will be shortlisted for Stage 2 based on the evaluation of submitted applications.
  • The evaluation will be conducted by the Organizing Committee, established by Design Council Busan, in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth below.
  • The two highest-scoring applicants will be selected based on the total score.

Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

Evaluation Criteria Score
Innovation 20
Originality and Creativity 20
Efficiency and QUality of Integration Idea 15
Feasibility 15
Quality and Relevance of Past Achievements 30

B. Stage 2: Design Presentation Evaluation

  • One (1) final awardee will be selected based on the evaluation of design development outcomes submitted by the two shortlisted teams.
  • The evaluation will be conducted by the Organizing Committee, established by Design Council Busan, and the team with the highest total score will be selected in accordance with the evaluation criteria below.
  • Domestic companies must submit presentation materials in both Korean and English. International companies must submit presentation materials in English only. Once submitted, presentation materials may not be revised under any circumstances.
  • The presenter must be a member of the representative company. Each team will be allocated 30 minutes total: 15 minutes for the presentation and 15 minutes for the Q&A session.
  • In the case of international participants, remote presentation via online conferencing or pre-recorded video may be permitted with prior approval from Design Council Busan.

Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

Evaluation Criteria Score
Innovation 20
Functionality and Efficiency 20
Spatial Harmony and Connectivity with Surroundings 20
Potential for Spatial Activation 20
Feasibility and Ease of Maintenance 20

C. Entries that fall under any of the following circumstances will be disqualified from the evaluation. If such issues are identified after the final selection, the selection may be revoked.

  • If the same individual is found to have been involved in more than one submission
  • If the participant initiates or engages in any contact, communication, or solicitation with members of the Organizing Committee at any stage during the competition process
  • If the submitted work is disclosed to the public, including via social media, prior to the official announcement of the final results
  • If the submitted work is found to be identical or substantially similar to an existing work, whether created by the applicant or a third party, that has been previously published or disclosed
  • If the submission is made by a person or entity that does not meet the eligibility requirements

Additional Matters

A. Intellectual Property Rights

  • All participants shall retain the copyright to their submissions. All submitted documents and designs must be original creations of the participant and must not infringe upon any third party’s copyright or other intellectual property rights.
  • Participants are solely responsible for obtaining any and all permissions, licenses, and clearances related to the use of third-party materials included in their submissions. Upon request by Design Council Busan, participants must provide documentary evidence related to such approvals and procedures.
  • If the selected work is found to infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party, the selection shall be revoked, and the participant shall be required to return the full amount of the award received, without delay.
  • In the event of any claims, disputes, or legal proceedings resulting from infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, the selected participant shall bear full responsibility and legal costs, and shall indemnify and hold Design Council Busan harmless from any damages or liability arising therefrom.
  • For non-selected entries, Design Council Busan may use up to two (2) representative images from each submission strictly for archiving and promotional purposes related to the competition. Any other use shall require separate consultation and written agreement with the participant.
    ※ High-resolution image files and/or 3D renderings may be requested if necessary.
  • All rights and obligations set forth in this guideline, including those related to intellectual property, shall remain in effect throughout the duration of the agreement entered into as a result of this competition.

B. Dispute Resolution

  • Participants may raise objections or claims to Design Council Busan concerning any matters related to copyrights or other rights arising from participation in the competition.
  • In the event of any dispute regarding the interpretation or enforcement of this competition, such matters shall be resolved in accordance with the laws and practices of the Republic of Korea. The Korean version of this guideline and related contracts shall prevail over any translations in case of discrepancies.
  • In the event of a dispute between the participant and Design Council Busan, both parties shall endeavor to resolve the matter amicably through consultation. If the dispute cannot be resolved through amicable consultation and legal action becomes necessary, the Busan District Court, Dongbu Branch (Republic of Korea) shall have exclusive jurisdiction as the court of first instance.

Special Provisions

All rights, obligations, and other statuses attributed to Design Busan Council under this competition guideline shall equally apply to the Busan Metropolitan City, the co-host of this competition.