Dongdaemun Design Park by Zaha Hadid Architects is inaugurated in Seoul

Dongdaemun Design Park
The Dongdaemun Design Park by Zaha Hadid is designed to be one of Seoul's key cultural hubs - a place as much for art and design, as for new technologies and media. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand
(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

Dongdaemun, a busy and historic neighbourhood in central Seoul's Jongno-gu district, is known for its shopping offerings, but from today, it will also be the home of one of South Korea's most innovative new spaces, the Dongdaemun Design Park (DDP) by architect Zaha Hadid

Set to be inaugurated today, the Dongdaemun Design Park is designed to be one of the city's key cultural hubs - a place as much for art and design, as for new technologies and media - and will host a wide selection of exhibition and events. Created in the architecture team's signature curvaceous forms, the complex includes a park – a much-needed 30,000 sq m green oasis within the densely built South Korean capital – and plaza, linked together in a way that encourages interaction between the two.

Careful planning ensured that 'architecture and urban landscape, solid and void, interior and exterior', blend effortlessly, explain the architects. Covering a staggering 86,574 sq m, DDP also includes a design museum, library and educational facilities. Everything was seamlessly brought together in a design created using parametric methods, and specifically, three-dimensional building information modelling (BIM), and its construction was no mean feat.

'DDP is the first public project in Korea to implement advanced 3-dimensional digital construction services that ensure the highest quality and cost controls,' explain the architects. This, knowing the country's key position in the race for advanced technologies, may not come as a surprise. And DDP claims a spot as one of South Korea's most innovative constructions.

The DDP is launched to the public tomorrow, hosting Seoul Fashion Week as well as an exhibition on the architect's work and design approach, entitled Zaha Hadid_360 degrees. The show will remain on display until the end of May, allowing visitors to gain a rare insight into the London-based iconic architect's work and design processes.

DDP is situated in Jongno-gu

Inaugurated today in Seoul, the DDP is situated in Jongno-gu, one of the city's busiest districts. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

perfectly balance architecture

Careful planning ensured that architecture and urban landscape are in perfect balance. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

design museum, library and educational facilities

Covering an impressive 86,574 sq m, DDP includes a design museum, library and educational facilities. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

parametric methods, and specifically, 3-dimensional building information modelling

Everything was seamlessly brought together in a design created using parametric methods, and specifically, 3-dimensional building information modelling (BIM). Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

includes a park and a plaza

Created in the architecture team's signature curvaceous forms, the complex includes a park and a plaza. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

advanced 3-dimensional digital construction services

DDP is the first public project in Korea to implement advanced 3-dimensional digital construction services. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

striking white interior

A striking white interior contrasts the DDP's raw concrete exterior. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

staircases and bridges

Interlocking staircases and bridges create an articulated interior. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

Zaha Hadid_360 degrees

An exhibition on the architect's work and design approach, entitled Zaha Hadid_360 degrees, is also launched today. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

London-based iconic architect's work and design processes

The show will remain on display until the end of May, allowing visitors to gain a rare insight into the London-based iconic architect's work and design processes. Photography: Virgile Simon Bertrand

(Image credit: Virgile Simon Bertrand)

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).