Seoul City will develop and announce three design types for “Seoul-style smoking booths” to address issues of secondhand smoke and urban aesthetics in city centers.
Previously, the lack of standardized smoking booths in downtown areas repeatedly caused social conflicts due to disrupted urban landscapes and secondhand smoke. In particular, areas with high concentrations of high-rise buildings and foreign tourists lacked sufficient smoking spaces.
To resolve these issues, the city standardized smoking booth designs by incorporating structures, aesthetics, flow, and technology suitable for each location.
Before developing the designs, citizen interviews and expert advisory meetings were conducted to analyze actual usage patterns and functionality. Subsequently, existing smoking booths installed by Seoul City and local districts were examined and categorized into three types for design: open, partially open, and enclosed.
The open type is suitable for spaces requiring visual openness, such as parks and cultural venues. It features a minimal structure and can be assembled in panel units.
The partially open type considers both visual blocking and openness and can be applied to public buildings or commercial areas.
The enclosed type is completely separated from the outside, with reinforced air circulation functionality. It is suitable for dense areas and is designed to accommodate space constraints with widths of 10m, 7m, and 5m, respectively.
The exterior of the smoking booths is composed mainly of neutral colors, using glass and metal materials to harmonize with the surrounding environment.
Inside, there are spaces for smoking cessation promotion content, separate compartments for different types of cigarettes, automatic doors, and cigarette butt disposal devices.
Recycling technology-equipped ashtrays are installed in the partially open and enclosed booths to promote resource circulation and environmental protection functions. Air purification technology is implemented in the enclosed booths.
The smoking booths are designed with simple, durable structures and modular configurations for efficient maintenance, ensuring easy access for managers while separating movement paths using frosted glass and restrained designs.
Seoul City will trial operate an enclosed smoking booth from May 26 at the plaza of Cheongnyangni Station in Dongdaemun-gu.
Additionally, the “Seoul-style smoking booth design guidelines” will be distributed in May, serving as standard installation criteria for local districts and private facilities.
Choi In-gyu, Seoul City’s Design Policy Officer, said, “Instead of merely ignoring or hiding smoking booths, we have designed the Seoul-style smoking booths with the hope of enhancing street environments. We ask for active participation and cooperation from citizens to create a clean and orderly street culture as responsible citizens.”