How could Korea’s coastal cities become more attractive?
Three days to design with Gaudí’s principles while addressing the challenge to solving local community challenges co-hosted by the Gaudí World Foundation, Unist, Pusan National University, and Inje University.
At the end, the participating teams will make a quick pitch of 4-5 minutes presenting their idea, and a jury will choose the winning teams as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
The Challenge
Get ready to embark on an inspiring design adventure at the Coastal Cities Gaudi Design Challenge!
From January 20th to 22th, 2025, we’re bringing together 50 passionate students from Pusan National University, UNIST University, and Inje University for an unforgettable three-day experience. This isn’t just another event—it’s a chance to reimagine how Korea’s coastal cities can leverage their unique characteristics to become more attractive and livable.
Join us in beautiful Busan, where you’ll collaborate with creative minds across disciplines to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our coastal communities. Whether you’re a designer, architect, entrepreneur, or simply someone with big ideas, your perspective is valuable here. We’ll have team-building sessions to help you connect with others, so even if you come solo, you’ll find your tribe and maybe even lifelong friends. We’ll provide plenty of resources, mentorship, and of course, delicious food to keep those creative juices flowing.
This challenge invites you to reimagine Korea’s coastal cities, transforming them into vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable destinations that honor their unique identities while addressing modern challenges. Inspired by Antoni Gaudí’s visionary approach, this challenge blends art, architecture, and community to unlock the untapped potential of these coastal regions. Gaudí’s approach wasn’t just about creating beautiful structures—it was about creating spaces that enriched the community. He used architecture as a tool to connect people with their environment, fostering a sense of belonging, inspiration, and well-being. In the same spirit, this challenge calls on you to think beyond aesthetics and craft ideas that address the social, cultural, and environmental needs of Korea’s coastal cities.
Together, we’ll shape transformative solutions that not only envision vibrant futures but also foster communities where everyone can flourish. See you there!
The Origination Method
At the heart of this challenge lies the Origination Method—a framework inspired by Gaudí’s iterative and organic approach to creation. The Origination Method is an innovative design framework inspired by Antoni Gaudí’s philosophy that “originality means returning to the origins.” Rooted in his values of nature-inspired creativity, functionality, and sustainability, this method provides a clear process for addressing complex challenges with thoughtful solutions.
By focusing on four core principles—Origin, Design, Humanism, and Sustainability—the method guides participants to create designs that are beautiful, functional, and impactful. Tools like Natural Thinking, which draws inspiration from nature, and the Origination Canvas, a visual tool for ideation, help bring ideas to life.
Applied to this challenge, the Origination Method encourages you to reimagine Korea’s coastal cities as spaces that celebrate their cultural heritage, meet diverse human needs, and embrace environmental responsibility. Through this process, you can create transformative ideas that harmonize people, nature, and innovation.
"Anything created by human beings is already
in the great book of nature."
Schedule
Day 1
Introduction, team formation, and challenge definition.
Day 2
Working time, workshops, design sessions, and mentorship.
Day 3
Final presentations and judging.
Day 1
Introduction, team formation, and challenge definition.
Day 2
Working time, workshops, design sessions, and mentorship.
Day 3
Final presentations and judging.
Guidelines
Eligibility: Open to university or graduate students from participating universities interested in Gaudí’s design philosophy and solving local challenges.
Participants: 50 students (subject to change).
Application Period: December 12 – December 27, 2024, by 23:59 KST.
How to Apply:
- Sign up via the initial form 🪸.
- Read the Challenge Brief 🔍 and Prepare Using the Workbook 📘 provided after submitting the initial form.
- Submit Your Final Application ✅
Event Highlights
Collaborate with creative minds across disciplines.
Explore Gaudí’s revolutionary approach to blending art, nature, and community.
Immerse yourself in Korea’s coastal culture, with resources and mentorship to guide your journey.
Build lifelong connections and craft solutions that can redefine the future of coastal cities.
Whether you’re a designer, architect, entrepreneur, or dreamer, your ideas can make a difference.
Deliverables
Teams will present visionary yet practical solutions for reimagining coastal cities. Submissions can include:
Urban Planning Concepts: Strategies to transform underutilized spaces into hubs of activity.
Architectural Designs: Scalable, sustainable designs for housing, tourism, and recreation.
Innovative Projects: Cross-disciplinary solutions, from green technologies to cultural initiatives.
Products or Services: Tools and platforms addressing community needs, such as accessibility or engagement solutions.
Awards
| Category | Cash prize | LM Prize |
|---|---|---|
| First Place | ₩1,500,000 | ₩500,000 worth |
| Second Place | ₩700,000 | ₩300,000 worth |
| Third Place | ₩300,000 | ₩200,000 worth |
Winning ideas will receive support and mentoring from the Gaudí World Foundation to further develop the idea.
A portion of the prize is proudly sponsored by LeisureMeta, a project dedicated to fostering global connections and supporting cultural exchange. The prize will be awarded in LM, their cryptocurrency.
What’s Included
Knowledge
Keynote speeches, talks, and workshops from renown speakers.
Resources
All necessary materials, catering, accommodation and transport to Busan (for students outside Busan).
Networking
Access to expert mentors specializing in Gaudí’s methodologies.
Methodology
Workshops on Gaudí’s work, sustainable design, and community solutions.
Judges, Speakers, and Mentors
Stay tuned for exciting announcements about our lineup of experts and mentors who will guide and evaluate participants throughout the challenge!
Partners and sponsors
Check our last events
Apply for the challenge
Fill in the initial application form to express your interest in participating and begin the application process. Once submitted, you’ll gain access to the detailed challenge materials and further instructions to complete your application.
Become a volunteer
Join us for the 3-day Gaudí Challenge as a volunteer! We’re looking for Operations Support, Event assitance and Technical support volunteers. Sign up using the following form.
Apply for the challenge
Fill in the initial application form to express your interest in participating and begin the application process. Once submitted, you’ll gain access to the detailed challenge materials and further instructions to complete your application.
Become a volunteer
Join us for the 3-day Gaudí Challenge as a volunteer! We’re looking for Operations Support, Event assitance and Technical support volunteers. Sign up using the following form.
