Since a similar stress-free design project for teenagers was implemented in 2016, brain wave measurements showed that their stress resistance index had improved by 33.7 percent and 24 percent, respectively, for the left and right brain. (image: Seoul Metropolitan Government)
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government is seeking to promote the mental health of young people, whose stress index is the highest among all generations.
According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of individuals with depression in their 20s who received hospital treatment last year rose by 96.5 percent from 49,975 in 2014 to 98,434 last year.
The number of individuals afflicted with depression in their 30s also rose 33 percent to 93,389 from 70,390 during the same period, the survey showed.
In response, the city will develop “stress-free design” that can help to relieve stress by targeting people in their 20s and 30s. The plan is to apply the design elements to one of the community housing projects that the city is pushing for.
Community housing refers to rental housing provided and operated by social and economic entities to reduce housing costs and provide stable housing for the young generation of single-person households.
In particular, it implements customized design to address stress factors by reflecting lifestyle characteristics such as single women or single men who enjoy “single life,” and artist-specific features.
The city will first conduct a stress-related survey and analysis of those in the so-called ‘2030 generation’ to develop stress-free design.
Afterwards, the city will check the reality and current state of stress in the respondents’ daily lives through an investigation of their behavior in community housing.
The city plans to draw up a set of conclusions through a survey, ethnography, and an in-depth interview of its users and experts.
An ethnography refers to the process of entering the targeted individuals’ daily lives, observing closely, and recording certain groups’ lifestyles and behaviors from their perspective.
Based on the results of the survey and analysis, the city will develop its stress-free design guidelines preferred by people in their 20s and 30s from June to August.
The city plans to promote the project after design and construction by the end of this year.
Since a similar stress-free design project for teenagers was implemented in 2016, brain wave measurements showed that their stress resistance index had improved by 33.7 percent and 24 percent, respectively, for the left and right brain.
The psychological stress and depression measures also fell 27.5 percent and 27.3 percent, respectively, the report showed.
The city, which confirmed the positive results of the program, expanded its stress-free design for youth to six locations in cooperation with a nonprofit organization in 2018.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
