Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park

Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park is a curved metal building in Dongdaemun district, Seoul, South Korea. The facade consists of thousands of aluminum panels stretched over a walkable rooftop terrace and multiple exhibition rooms inside.

The building replaced the old Dongdaemun Stadium from 2014 and integrated archaeological finds from the ancient Seoul fortress into its cultural park. It was designed by architect Zaha Hadid and stands as the first public building in Korea realized entirely with digital construction methods.

The hall lights up each evening from the outside, drawing locals who walk along the curved pathways, take selfies, or sit on the park steps. The interior serves as a meeting point for design students and as exhibition space where Korean and international works appear side by side.

You reach the site directly through Dongdaemun History & Culture Park subway station on lines 2, 4, and 5, which runs beneath the building. Access is barrier-free and opening hours vary by event, so checking ahead is worthwhile.

The roof can be walked on and offers a raised walkway over the entire length of the building, from which you overlook the surrounding district. At night the facade transforms through changing light projections into a kind of media screen.

Location: Seoul

Inception: November 2011

Architects: Zaha Hadid

Architectural style: neo-futurism

Part of: Dongdaemun History & Culture Park

Website: http://ddp.or.kr

GPS coordinates: 37.56690,127.00940

Latest update: December 14, 2025 20:18