What Will Future Elevators Look Like? A Look at Award-Winning Entries from a 6-Country Contest...

Hyundai Elevator to Announce Winners of Idea Contest Starting August

Gotple, which won the gold prize for Korea at the Hyundai Elevator International Competition

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hyundai Elevator announced the results of an idea contest themed "Elevators in the Era of the 4th Industrial Revolution" held in six countries including South Korea on the 30th.

A total of 347 teams (including individuals) participated in this contest. Participants ranged from children and the general public to professional designers, all envisioning the future of elevators. The contest was held in South Korea, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and T?rkiye.

Six gold prize-winning teams were selected, one from each country. Domestic gold prize winners received 10 million KRW, while overseas gold prize winners each received 4,000 USD. In total, 99 teams were awarded prize money amounting to 135 million KRW.

Joa Jae-cheon, CEO of Hyundai Elevator, said, "We could see the high interest of users in elevators as participants from various sectors in key countries submitted diverse and innovative ideas," adding, "This contest will serve as an important momentum for expanding the global market to achieve a top 5 global position by 2030."

Su Ying, who won the gold prize in China at the Hyundai Elevator International Competition

The contest entries attracted attention with designs reflecting the characteristics of each country. The Chinese gold prize-winning work "Su Ying," meaning "White Shadow," expressed bamboo and lattice patterns through the interplay of light and shadow inside the elevator space. Indonesia's "National Concept Design" captured the sentiment of Indonesian handicrafts, while Malaysia's "The Floating Bunga Raya" incorporated the hibiscus flower into the elevator design.

Internet of Things (IoT), multimedia, and DIY (products that allow consumers to make things themselves) were also major trends in this contest. The Korean gold prize-winning work "Gatple" drew attention by linking a streamlined display on the elevator ceiling with passengers' smartphones to provide customized information and entertainment content such as mood-changing games.

The Floating Bungaraya, which won the gold prize in Malaysia at the Hyundai Elevator International Competition

Vietnam's gold prize-winning work "Disco" connected the platform and the inside of the elevator with an LED floor. T?rkiye's gold prize-winning work "Layer in Mood" proposed the possibility of user-driven design through a modular interior system, receiving high marks for creativity and practicality.

Kim Tae-hwan, team leader of Hyundai Elevator Design Research Institute, said, "In an increasingly consumer-driven market, we were able to confirm what actual customers, the general public, expect from elevators."