SEOUL/BUSAN, August 27, 2024 – Hyundai Motor Company, in collaboration with the Vitra Design Museum, announces the opening of the exhibition ‘Plastic: Remaking Our World’ at Hyundai Motorstudio Busan. Opening on August 28, 2024, this partnership exhibition delves into the history of plastic, its impact on our world, and the material’s future to enhance sustainability.
Vitra Design Museum presents the development of plastic materials and designs over time, from past to present and future. Each section of the exhibition features installations that convey the challenges surrounding plastic production, the evolution of plastic, and various environmental projects and circular design approaches, prompting reflections on the future of plastic.
Hyundai Motor showcases its current and future sustainability and recycling initiatives, offering an interactive experience for visitors. Exhibition attendees can touch and feel Hyundai Motor’s recycled automotive parts and materials applied to IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 models, and learn about the brand’s innovative plastic-to-hydrogen (P2H) technology, which transforms waste plastics into clean hydrogen energy.
In the workshop zone, visitors can exchange plastic bottle caps for unique recycled souvenirs. The ‘Precious Plastic’ project, a moving installation placed in the middle of the zone, demonstrates the process behind how these recycled plastic goods are made ‒ melting shredded plastic flakes and molding them into new plastic products.
“We are engaging our audience in a conversation about the environment and our role in preserving the planet, under our vision of Progress for Humanity,” said Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer. “Our partnership with Vitra Design Museum on this exhibition presents Hyundai Motor’s commitment to sustainable mobility and the use of recycled materials”
Hyundai Motor collaborated with Jinyeong Yeon, a Korean designer specializing in environmentally aware art. Yeon presents ‘Plastic Atlas’, created from Hyundai Motor’s recycled fabric, including waste seat covers, airbags and seatbelts reclaimed from decommissioned vehicles. The hanging installation crossing through the exhibition’s first and second floors highlights a message of circularity and a sustainable future for the planet.
Hyundai Motorstudio Busan opened in 2021 in Busan, Korea’s second-largest city and a hub of culture and art. The studio aims to explore the potential of life-enriching design innovations under the concept of “Design to live by”. It offers a variety of customer experience programs targeting the design-engaged MZ generation, as well as enriching educational initiatives for everyone to experience.
Hyundai’s global Motorstudio locations focus on delivering high-quality cultural experiences beyond mobility. The partnership with the Vitra Design Museum reflects a shared vision of design’s role in enhancing human life. Previous collaborations include the ‘Hello, Robot. Design between Human and Machine’ exhibition and the ‘Home Stories’ exhibition, which explored future mobility and residential environments.