DK × SDF International Conference 2026DK × SDF International Conference

Speaker Bio
After studying transportation design and gaining automotive design experience at Honda and NVIDIA, Jordan Taylor co–founded Vizcom to help designers turn sketches into tangible concepts more quickly. The AI–powered design platform is used by creative teams and global brands worldwide, supporting workflows from sketching and rendering through production preparation.

Talk Abstract
For the past 30 years, design workflows have been structured around the handoff from one stage to the next. That model is now being disrupted, with Vizcom at the center of the shift. This talk follows the journey from sketch to production and shares real–world changes brought about by AI tools, as observed through Vizcom’s work with design teams at global companies including New Balance, General Motors, and Hasbro. It also explores the importance of the Korean market in this transformation.

Speaker Bio
With nearly 20 years of experience as an automotive designer, Jihyun Song has expanded her practice from production vehicles to advanced design, future mobility, robotics, spaces, and user experiences. She has worked on numerous production projects, including the interior of the Hyundai IONIQ 6, and now leads projects exploring new relationships between technology and people, including Nano Mobility, MobED, and autonomous mobility.

Talk Abstract
Must an automotive designer design only cars? As mobility expands into robotics, AI, spaces, and services, Hyundai Motor Group has begun exploring design beyond its traditional boundaries. The Open Design Lab is an open platform where designers and engineers work alongside customers, researchers, students, and external creators to experiment with and test ideas. Through a range of projects, the lab investigates possibilities for a future that has yet to be defined.

Speaker Bio
Above is a Scandinavian innovation agency working at the intersection of strategy, design, and technology. With studios in Stockholm, Malmö, London, and Chicago, it has collaborated with global brands including IKEA, Google, Apple, Spotify, Bang & Olufsen, Polestar, and Mercedes–Benz. As Co–founder and Chief Creative Officer, Casper Asmussen leads Above’s creative direction across products, brands, and experiences, developing a distinctive design DNA that spans both the physical and digital worlds.

Talk Abstract
When every designer has access to the same AI, what will distinguish exceptional design from the ordinary? AI may soon become as ubiquitous and invisible as electricity or spell–checking. At that point, a designer’s advantage will lie not in technology itself but in taste, conviction, and the judgment to choose a direction beyond what the data suggests. Drawing on the restraint and pragmatism of Scandinavian design, this talk explores how designers can cultivate a distinctive point of view and express it consistently across products and experiences.

Speaker Bio
Jihong Kim began his design career at Samsung Electronics and subsequently held design leadership roles at startups in education and commerce. Since 2015, he has spent more than a decade building design communities. He founded Design Spectrum, a community for technology–focused designers, and has engaged with designers through a range of online and offline content. In 2025, he established Phi, the design school operated by Toss, and continues to lead it.

Talk Abstract
Why did Toss create a design school? New technologies emerge every month and every week, demanding constant adaptation from those who make things. What challenges should educational institutions take on in developing the next generation of talent? Phi aims to nurture designers who can demonstrate excellence under any circumstances, challenging the inertia and conventions of established education. Tools may change, but the ability to decide what to make—and why—remains essential. This talk reflects on the changes Phi has pursued and witnessed over the past six months, and on their long–term sustainability.

Speaker Bio
Laurent Ungerer is a French graphic designer and co–founder of the agency C–Album. He has led visual identity and signage projects for major cultural institutions, including the Centre Pompidou, Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Musée Picasso, and the reopening of Notre–Dame Cathedral. He also teaches at Parsons School of Design and the École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, while working extensively in arts and cultural branding. Raphael John began collaborating with C–Album in 2016 and became a partner in 2021.

Talk Abstract
A devastating fire struck Notre–Dame Cathedral in 2019. After five years of restoration, the reopened cathedral needed not only renewed architecture but also a visual language for a new era. C–Album explored how to translate the site’s history, spirituality, and architectural symbolism into contemporary design. This session takes the form of a mobile, performative presentation centered on a large–scale book inspired by medieval manuscripts. In small groups, participants will move between stations to discover the creative process and visual strategies behind the new identity.

Speaker Bio
Anniina Koivu works as a design curator, researcher, consultant, and writer. She co–founded Koivu, a knitwear and homeware brand, and U–Joints, a research project examining the intersection of architecture and design. She has collaborated with international brands including Vitra, Iittala, and Kvadrat, and has curated exhibitions in partnership with leading museums.

Talk Abstract
Through Microstories in Design, a project that uncovers the hidden histories and subcultures behind objects, Anniina Koivu reveals how seemingly small and ordinary details shape contemporary life. Her approach—understanding the larger world through the small—invites a deeper reading of the human–made environment. The talk also introduces research, exhibition, and publishing projects she has developed throughout her career.

Speaker Bio
Emily Yan earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London. Since joining Snøhetta in 2018, she has played a pivotal role in establishing the firm’s studios and strengthening its presence across Asia. As Director of Snøhetta’s Hong Kong studio, she has led projects including Busan Opera House, Banpo Ecological Playground in Seoul, Cheongju City Hall, AIRSIDE in Hong Kong, Solstice Culinary Space, and a resort retail development in Sanya.

Talk Abstract
In the age of artificial intelligence, what distinctly human value can design still offer? Snøhetta finds an answer in generosity. Its approach creates environments that foster belonging, spark curiosity, and open up new possibilities. The most compelling places today are no longer confined to a single function: cultural venues become urban living rooms, public spaces become gathering places, and hospitality environments develop richer connections with local culture, landscape, and identity. Through selected projects, this talk considers how design can transcend established typologies and boundaries.

Speaker Bio
Erwan Bouroullec is a French designer who has worked internationally for more than 25 years. In 1999, he established a design studio with his brother Ronan Bouroullec and went on to collaborate with global brands including Vitra, HAY, Flos, and Kvadrat. In Korea, he is also known for Samsung’s The Serif television and Music Studio Wi–Fi speaker. His work is held in permanent collections including the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Talk Abstract
What value emerges from a design practice that moves freely across boundaries? Between mass production and small workshops, advanced industrial technology and traditional craft, and analog and digital approaches, Erwan Bouroullec has continually explored the essence of objects and the purpose of design. Along the way, he has found a guiding principle in elegance. For him, elegance is not merely a visual effect but a design attitude that connects use and function, people and objects, with clarity and ease. This talk traces how his experiments, setbacks, and work across different scales have converged into a philosophy of elegance.