Abstract
South Korea, as the fastest-aging country in the world, occupies a critical position in aging research. Designing for older adults requires a multidimensional understanding; however, existing studies on design principles for aging have tended to adopt functionalist approaches focused primarily on physical and cognitive decline. In response, this study proposes design principles that center on values systems rather than offering directly prescriptive or procedural guidance. Specifically, we introduce culturally responsive principles grounded in Korea’s unique socio cultural context. Drawing on a co-design workshop with Korean older adults and caregivers, our analysis engages narratives through the lenses of Korea’s rapid industrialization, disparities between metropolitan and rural regions, Confucian ethics, and a strong cultural emphasis on education. By situating design within these local and historical conditions, this study contributes to a decentralized design approach rooted in regional identity and cultural specificity, advancing alternative frameworks for age-responsive design.
Keywords
Design principles; Design for seniors; Co-design; Decentralized design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.202
Citation
Song, S., Kim, M., Kang, M.J., An, Y.I.,and Jun, S.(2025) From Function to Culture: Exploring Senior-Centered Design Principles in Korean Context, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.202
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 10 - Design Practices & Impacts
From Function to Culture: Exploring Senior-Centered Design Principles in Korean Context
South Korea, as the fastest-aging country in the world, occupies a critical position in aging research. Designing for older adults requires a multidimensional understanding; however, existing studies on design principles for aging have tended to adopt functionalist approaches focused primarily on physical and cognitive decline. In response, this study proposes design principles that center on values systems rather than offering directly prescriptive or procedural guidance. Specifically, we introduce culturally responsive principles grounded in Korea’s unique socio cultural context. Drawing on a co-design workshop with Korean older adults and caregivers, our analysis engages narratives through the lenses of Korea’s rapid industrialization, disparities between metropolitan and rural regions, Confucian ethics, and a strong cultural emphasis on education. By situating design within these local and historical conditions, this study contributes to a decentralized design approach rooted in regional identity and cultural specificity, advancing alternative frameworks for age-responsive design.