Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP; ) is a major urban development landmark in Seoul, South Korea, designed by Zaha Hadid and Samoo, with a distinctively neofuturistic design characterized by the "powerful, curving forms of elongated structures." The landmark is the centerpiece of South Korea's fashion hub and popular tourist destination, Dongdaemun, featuring a walkable park on its roofs, large global exhibition spaces, futuristic retail stores, and restored parts of the Seoul fortress.
The DDP has been one of the main reasons for Seoul's designation as the World Design Capital in 2010. Construction started in 2009, and it was officially inaugurated on March 21, 2014. It is physically connected to Seoul Subway via Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on Line 2, 4, and 5.
Overview
The Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) was designed by British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, winner of the 2004 Pritzker Prize, with the concept of "Metonymic Landscape." Metonymy refers to a method of describing a specific object indirectly, and Hadid integrated historical, cultural, urban, social, and economic aspects of Seoul deduced from this method in order to create a scene of the landscape. Designed as a cultural hub in the historical district of Seoul, Korea's largest fashion district, the DDP is composed of undulating surfaces that resemble the flow of liquid and allow flexibility in space. The state-of-the-art BIM (Building Information Modeling), mega-truss (extra-large roof truss) system, and space frame system are the key features in terms of creating grand-scale spaces. According to Hadid, the fundamental features of her design were "transparency, porousness, and durability." Many ecological features, including a double-skin facade, solar panels, and a water recycling system, are included in the building.
The construction project for replacing Dongdaemun Stadium with a public park has been discussed in the media since 2000, and the city of Seoul established a basic master plan for alternating the function of Dongdaemun Stadium in 2005. Upon the advice of architects, and in order to secure a high-quality design for the new landmark of Seoul, the city invited architects in February 2007 to participate in a design competition. The city requested that the architects include a design plaza, underground spaces, a history park, and a culture park in the project, according to the guidelines. Zaha Hadid's Metonymic Landscape won the competition.
The exterior envelope of the DDP, a smooth and giant mushroom-like structure floating above ground level, is made of concrete, aluminum, steel, and stone. The interior of the building is finished with plaster reinforced with synthetic fiber, acoustic tiles, acrylic resin, stainless steel, and polished stone in the interior.
Main programs
The DDP has three underground levels, four above-ground levels, and a main building that is 280 meters long. The building is equipped with diverse public spaces, including an exhibition hall, a conference hall, the design museum, the design lab, an academy hall, a media center, a seminar room, Dongdaemun History and Culture Park, the designer's lounge, and the design market.
The art hall operates as a space for conventions, trade shows, exhibitions, fashion shows, concerts, and performances. The museum hall consists of five sections, and allows many artists to engage in the design industry and exchange ideas. The design playground, Design Dulle-gil (trail), design museum, design exhibition hall, and the design rest area are located inside the museum hall.
The design lab operates as an incubator for budding product designers from inside and outside the country. The design market is a multipurpose space for cultural events and shopping, and is open 24 hours a day.
In addition, the DDP has parking areas, dispensaries, a feeding room, a coatroom, a cafe, and other facilities that are operated and managed by the Seoul Design Foundation of the city of Seoul.
History
Dongdaemun Stadium was the first modern stadium in Korea and was built during the Japanese Colonial Period to celebrate the wedding of the Japanese Prince. From 1925 until its demolition in 2007, various national sports and celebration events were held there. The stadium was abandoned after the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and became a local market in front of the largest fashion hub in South Korea. The demolition of the stadium is not without its critics, including those who challenge the eventual removal of street vendors as a "repressive relocation."