A Study of Methods to Foster Manhole Cover Design -Focused on manhole cover designs in 'Streets of History and Culture'-

From 1998 Seoul city is being rebuilt for 'the city which people want to go around on foot'. Many streets only for cars have been transformed for pedestrians. In addition to that streets are built not only just to pass by, but also enjoy themselves, so 8 Streets in Seoul have been redecorated as 'Streets of History and Culture'. These Streets are chosen because they have their own unique history or culture, so they are remodeled with lightings, exhibition pavilions or sign postings etc except manhole covers. Even these 8 streets have manhole covers; they are not particular, just same as like other streets. For most streets manhole cover is an essential component of them, but it is mostly omitted to be designed in particular. For the most time some of the standard manhole covers are installed in a street. Taking a look at manholes in Minneapolis city, they inform visitors what the landmark, landscape, symbol, representative flower or tree of the city is. Sometimes they are designed by famous artists and become art which all pedestrian can enjoy. If manhole covers in 'the streets of history and culture' are designed to represent its history or culture, visitors will get information about there easily and enjoy their design. To foster manhole cover designs, the government office should co-work with professional designers or design societies and encourage people to spend a certain amount of the construction cost to design manhole covers. At school designing manhole cover can be handled in an art class and besides can have a class in the field, streets to observe manhole cover designs. Getting more concern of manhole cover design, competitions and exhibitions are able to be held.