Heineken transforms Seoul rooftops to combat urban loneliness
Heineken has launched an initiative repurposing rooftops as social spaces to combat isolation in cities, as shown in this video made by Dezeen for the global beer brand.
Titled Rooftop Revival, the project responds to research commissioned by Heineken showing that 57 percent of the 10,500 surveyed adults feel lonely despite living in major cities.
This figure rises to 47 percent for Gen Z and Millennials.
Heineken has launched an initiative repurposing rooftops
Seoul was chosen as the launch city due to its stark embodiment of what Heineken calls the "proximity paradox," where social disconnection prevails despite physical closeness.
The South Korean capital also has a high proportion of flat rooftops that were underutilised and painted green.
"In an era where urban environments prioritise productivity over connection and living and socialising spaces are shrinking, there are many forgotten spaces that can become places of renewal," said Korean architect Byoung Soo Cho.
"In Seoul, with its hot and humid summers and unique topography, rooftops open new perspectives," he added.
To activate these new spaces, Heineken commissioned a series of events to take place across the city.
Each event location was disclosed from above via satellite imagery captured by Maxar, a US-based high-resolution satellite system.
A red star marked each site – a nod to Heinken's logo – with residents invited to track down these stars across the city.
A trio of Seoul-based creatives hosted events over three days.
K-pop singer Dino, who performs with boy group Seventeen, led an intimate music set, while contemporary artist Cha Inchul ran a design workshop.
Chef Cho SeoHyeoung, who appeared in the Netflix series Culinary Class Wars, hosted an interactive food-tasting.
Aerial photographer Tom Hegen was commissioned by Heineken to document the rooftops in use.
"Living in Munich, I know what it's like to be in a bustling city – despite being surrounded by people, it can often feel lonely," said the photographer.
"These events are proof that solutions to loneliness don't require new infrastructure – just a new perspective to refresh social life."
Nabil Nasser, global head of Heineken, hopes the campaign will inspire people to repurpose existing spaces in cities.
"Our red star against a green backdrop isn't just an icon – it's an invitation to the world, a symbol of togetherness and big enough to be seen from space," he said.
"It's a calling card for communities to come together, share experiences, and rediscover the joy of social connection."
Partnership content
This video was produced by Dezeen in partnership with Heineken. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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