Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), a 30,000-square-meter park in one of Seoul's historic districts, opened to the public last week.
To establish the development's status as a cultural hub and catalyst for innovation, city officials hosted Seoul Fashion Week at the flowing, futuristic multiplex. In the coming months, the DDP will host five separate art and design exhibitions, according to Zaha Hadid Architects.
The public spaces within the DDP include a design museum, children's education center, and media center, as well as convention and exhibition halls.
The park sections incorporate concepts of traditional Korean garden design, like horizontality, layering, and fusing the interior and exterior spaces. Ultimately, no single feature is meant to dominate the design, according to Hadid.
Historic painting traditions depict aspects of nature to further the association between the park and those traditional design principles.
The DDP integrates the park and the plaza, intending to be a "green oasis" in the midst of urban Dongdaemun, the firm said.
The exterior envelope comprises more than 45,000 metal panels varying in size and curvature. It incorporates a range of perforation and pixelation patterns in order to create dynamic visual effects that change with the season and time of day. At certain times, the façade appears as a solid sheet of metal; at others, it seems to be made up of moving parts, according to the blog ILikeArchitecture.
Before DDP's construction, archaelogical and cultural artifacts were discovered in the area. DDP is built around these, as well as an ancient wall still standing in the area.
"These historic features form the central element of DDP's composition: linking the park, plaza, and city together," said the architect.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Jul 27, 2017
Game rooms and game simulators popular amenities in multifamily developments
The number of developments providing space for physical therapy was somewhat surprising, according to a new survey.
Building Enclosure Systems | Jul 26, 2017
Balcony and roof railings and the code: Maintain, repair, or replace? [AIA course]
Lacking familiarity with current requirements, some owners or managers complete a roof or balcony rehabilitation, only to learn after the fact that they need to tear noncompliant railings out of their new roof or terrace and install new ones.
Office Buildings | Jul 26, 2017
Meeting space leads to innovation
PDR Principal Larry Lander explains how to design for workplaces where four generations are working together.
Architects | Jul 25, 2017
AIA 2030 Commitment expands beyond 400 architecture firms
The 2016 Progress Report is now available.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 19, 2017
Student housing trends: The transformation of co-living in college
The Student Hotel is representative of a new model for delivering housing solutions for students globally.
Designers | Jul 19, 2017
5 laws every designer can live by
What is design? Who are designers? And are there any common laws or rules than can unite the many types of design that exist?
Sponsored | Architects | Jul 19, 2017
Introducing StrXur by Bluebeam
Our goal is to present unique perspectives you may not be able to find anywhere else.
Sponsored | Accelerate Live! | Jul 13, 2017
Defining the future by mastering the art of change
From my perspective, what separates organizations thriving in the digital revolution from those who are not boils down to one thing: leadership.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 12, 2017
Midyear Rent Report: 26 states saw rental price increases in first half of 2017
The most notable rental increases are in growing markets in the South and Southwest: New Orleans, Glendale, Ariz., Houston, Reno, N.V., and Atlanta.
Giants 400 | Jul 12, 2017
Innovation abounds, but will it lead to growth for AEC Giants?
Engineering firms such as Arup, Glumac, and Thornton Tomasetti are leveraging their in-house expertise to develop products and tools for their design teams, clients, and even the competition.