Kookmin University, one of South Korea's leading private universities based in Seoul, showcased a mobility design project by its Department of Automotive and Transportation Design at the World Design Capital Campus Exhibition 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 3, the university said Thursday.

The project, displayed at the Museum Angewandte Kunst — a Frankfurt museum dedicated to applied arts and design — highlighted the results of an industry-academic collaboration with Hyundai Motor Company. The department presented concept videos, exhibition panels, scale models and a 3D topographic map of the project site to explain the concept, development process and final outcomes.

On July 4, Roe Jae-seung, a professor in the department who led the design project, gave a presentation during the exhibition's Design Talk session. His presentation provided a detailed overview of the project's research theme, how it was developed and the results produced through the collaboration.

The exhibition was organized by the World Design Organization (WDO), an international non-governmental body founded in 1957 — originally as the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) — that promotes industrial design worldwide and designates a World Design Capital every two years. Frankfurt was named World Design Capital 2026, while Busan was selected as World Design Capital 2028. Seoul is scheduled to host the World Design Congress 2027.

The World Design Capital Campus Exhibition 2026 served as a venue for introducing next-generation design research projects led by universities. Its program included project exhibitions, presentations and lectures examining innovative approaches to design research.

Kookmin University said the department's project was carried out as part of an industry-academic collaboration with the Genesis Design Innovation Division at Hyundai Motor Company. Genesis is Hyundai Motor's luxury vehicle brand, and the division focuses on advancing the brand's design language and future mobility concepts.

The project is also available on Open Design Lab, a platform operated by Hyundai Motor to present its vision for future mobility design. The platform allows visitors to review the project's concept, development process and final outcomes in detail.

"It is a great honor and a privilege to participate in an international exhibition of this scale in recognition of the achievements of our industry-academia collaboration project with Hyundai Motor's Genesis Design Innovation Division," Roe said.

"Throughout the process of developing user-centered mobility design scenarios for future megacities, designers and students worked closely together, exchanging feedback through multiple rounds of design reviews with strong support from the Genesis Design Innovation Division. This enabled us to produce meaningful and innovative outcomes," he added.

Roe also said, "With Busan having been selected as the World Design Capital 2028, it would be even more meaningful if this project could serve as the foundation for developing and presenting a more advanced design proposal that reflects the city's unique characteristics."

A Kookmin University official quoted Dorothee Bolade, WDO membership engagement manager, as saying that the university's participation in the exhibition showed the value of design institutions communicating and connecting across national borders.

Bolade added that WDO is committed to helping universities around the world share ideas, promote academic exchange and collaboration, and jointly explore the future of design. She expressed hope that international academic exchange will continue at the World Design Congress in Seoul in 2027 and at the World Design Capital Busan 2028 International Conference.