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Dongdaemun Design Plaza(DDP)

DDP and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park

DDP and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, In September 2006, Seoul Metropolitan Government commenced the work of developing Dongdaemun History & Culture Park to preserve the historic significance of the site of Dongdaemun Stadium and present the city’s future vision led by the creative industry. Hadogam, a unit of Hullyeon Dogram as the military training agency in charge of training of troops and repair and supply of weapons and gunpowder, used to be located on the site during the Joseon Dynasty. A section of the Seoul City Wall used to extend across the area longitudinally. During the colonial period (1910-1945), the Gyeongseong Stadium (later renamed Dongdaemun Stadium) was built there in 1926, changing the landscape of the area. The Dongdaemun Stadium (a soccer field and a ballpark) was the country’s first modern sports facility but became dilapidated; the neighboring areas also turned into slums. Thus, Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to develop the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park there as stated in the foregoing.

Seoul Metropolitan Government held an international design selection contest for the promotion of the Project Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Project. The work Metonymic Landscape, designed by Iraq-born British architect Zaha Hadid (who received the Pritzker Architectural Prize in 2004), won the top prize. Judges praised the designer’s unique concept, which attempted to portray the history, functions, and landscape of the area through the seamless connection between artificial structures and nature and fascinating sight of atypical and asymmetrical curves and oblique lines entwining the entire building. Work on the 62,957m2 site was started based on the design. Composed of a park and DDP, the project was started in April 2009. Work for the park, which features exhibition places and green areas, was completed first; the park was opened to the public in October 2009. The park has two outdoor exhibition areas where historic relics unearthed on the site during the construction work are restored, History Hall where a restored section of the Seoul City Wall, Igansumun (water gates), and other unearthed relics are displayed, Dongdaemun Stadium Memorial Hall, and two mini-exhibition halls.

Dongdaemun History & Culture Park – Architectural features

Park: restoration of cultural heritage

• Seoul City Wall: The 18.6 km-long Seoul City Wall surrounds downtown Seoul. They were first built in 1396 in the early Joseon Dynasty, with architects and workers mobilized across the country. They were replaced with stone structures in 1422. The Dongdaemun section of the castle walls unearthed during the work for the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, displays different traces of the repair work carried out during the reigns of three different kings, i.e., Taejeong, Sejong, and Seongjong. The section was restored as much as possible, using the unearthed stone bricks.
• Bastion: a semi-circle fort outside the gate as a reinforced defensive position
• Hadogam site: Hadogam, a unit of Hullyeon Dogram as the military training agency, was established in 1594 to train troops and royal court guards. The relics unearthed from the site were restored and displayed at the outdoor exhibition area.
• Igansumun (water gate): The arch-shaped water gate was used for a stream flowing down from Namsan (Mountain). It was restored using unearthed stone materials as much as possible.

DDP: featuring cutting-edge architectural skill, environment-friendly architecture, and design focusing on users’ convenience

• Exterior panels: A total of 45,133 sheets of aluminum panels of different sizes and curvatures cover the building. The use of rectangular panels covering an atypically curved outer surface of a building of this size is the first attempt ever made in the world. A high level of precision is employed, showing outstanding architectural skills.
• Mega truss/column structure: Mega trusses and columns are employed to withstand the weight of the huge building structure. A cantilever (largest width: 35 m; length: 120 m) is placed to the south.
• Environment-friendly architecture: photovoltaic generation panel installed on the flat surface of the exterior panel to the south; application of geothermal system using heat pipes for heating and air-conditioning of buildings; rainwater stored in a tank used for toilets; sedum plants and grass planted on the roof for more efficient heat insulation
• Users’ convenience considered: application of universal design to the entire building to enhance the convenience of users regardless of age, gender, or whether they are disabled or not; formation of ubiquitous space for the free use of smartphones or other sophisticated telecom equipment

Birthplace of 21st-Century Creative Knowledge - DDP

The Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is a 4-story building (with three basements) built on an 85,320m2 site. Located in the western section of the park, it will serve as a centerpiece of Seoul’s creative industries including design, fashion, culture, and arts. Construction work and preparations are underway for its operation under the vision of “Mecca of creativity and knowledge of the 21st Century.” DDP (set to open on March 3, 2014) is a workplace where design is applied to various fields to create new ideas, a school where talents are nurtured for the future, and a space where a better life is enabled. In particular, DDP introduces world design trends and design innovations and lets you see the past, present, and future of Seoul, Korea. At the same time, through DDP, you can understand the trend of Korea‘s fashion, sewing, and shoe industries at a glance.