SPACE November 2024 (No. 684)
Project Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Architect Zaha Hadid Architects + SAMOO Architects & Engineers
Location 2-1 Eulji-ro 7-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
Site area 62,957m2
Building area 25,008 m2
Gross floor area 85,320m2
Competition year 2006
Construction period Mar. 2009 – Nov. 2013
Opening Mar. 2014
Client Seoul Metropolitan Government
Sep. 2006 Announcement of the Dongdaemun Stadium Park Development Plan—the total project budget was estimated at 24.3 billion KRW
Sep. 2006 Feasibility study and basic planning completed
Nov. 2006 First investment review (total of 159.3 billion KRW)
Feb. 2007 International invited design competition held
Aug. 2007 Zaha Hadid Architects wins with the design titled ‘Metonymic Landscape’
Sep. 2007 Second investment review (total of 375.2 billion KRW), reason for change: modification of the construction scale
Oct. 2007 Third investment review (total of 405 billion KRW), reason for change: addition of operational preparation costs
Dec. 2007 – July 2008 Dongdaemun Stadium demolished
Jan. 2008 – July 2009 Unearthed artefacts, including Hanyang City Wall and Hadogam Site, during cultural heritage excavation—decided to relocate and restore cultural assets
Oct. 2008 ‘Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher’ exhibition held at the Seoul Design Olympiad 2008 hosts
Dec. 2008 Basic and detailed designs completed
Mar. 2009 The Seoul Design Foundation is established
Apr. 2009 Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) groundbreaking ceremony held, along with the opening of the promotional centre—Zaha Hadid’s first visit to Dongdaemun
Oct. 2009 Partial opening of the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park
Mar. 2010 Foundation work completed
Sep. 2010 Fourth investment review (total of 496.2 billion KRW), reason for change: modification of the construction scale
Mar. 2011 Steel structural construction completed
Mar. 2011 – June 2012 Exterior panel installation and underground plaza construction completed
Jan. 2012 – July 2013 Interior and exterior finishing work completed
Oct. 2011 Fifth investment review (total of 509.4 billion KRW), reason for change: extension of the construction period, changes to exits, and an increase in construction and supervision costs
Nov. 2013 Construction completed
Mar. 2014 Opening to the public
2023 – Efforts underway to redefine how DDP will be used
Feb. 2023 Announcement of the 2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan, which designates the DDP area as a specific development promotion district for beauty and fashion
interview Park Eunseon director, Listen to the City × Youn Yaelim
Youn Yaelim (Youn): Critical discussions around Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) have been ongoing since the early 2000s, touching on various social, urban, and architectural contexts. Even 10 years after its opening, the DDP still faces many unresolved issues. So, what are the problems and limitations of DDP, both in terms of its initial planning and its current use?
Park Eunseon (Park): The DDP’s problem stems from the social costs of urban planning that lacked democratic decision making. We also shouldn’t forget that DDP was a key part of Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG)-led gentrification connecting Cheonggyecheon Stream and Eulji-ro.
Although Zaha Hadid is sometimes labeled as a postmodern architect, in terms of art history, she should be seen as more of a modernist, similar to a constructivist who uses extreme forms of points, lines, and planes.▼1 Hadid approached space more as sculpture rather than a social product. Regarding her winning design for DDP, ‘Metonymic Landscape’, she explained, ‘My idea was to use the terrain so that the building and the park could blend into the landscape.’▼2 The fact that SMG chose Zaha Hadid – a modernist who viewed architecture as sculptural rather than an expression of urban history – suggests, as the late architect Lee Jongho put, that there was never any real intention to preserve the history of Dongdaemun Stadium or the memory of Dongdaemun Market.▼3 Originally, DDP was meant to host the Seoul Design Olympiad 2009, one of the main events of mayor of SMG Oh Sehoon’s Design Seoul initiative. However, it wasn’t completed until 2014, and during that time, the project skyrocketed from a budget of 90 billion KRW to a staggering 484 billion KRW. Since its opening, the DDP has been criticised for clashing with its surroundings and for lacking any real historical context.▼4
But can we really place all the blame on Zaha Hadid? Shouldn’t the people of Seoul reflect on why such an enormous project, involving over 480 billion KRW in public funds and the demolition of a significant landmark, ended up being driven by individual political agendas? Urban planning that ignores citizen participation and overlooks the rich layers of urban history ultimately becomes a burden on society. Public buildings are meant to reflect the perspectives of the people living in the city and respect their history, yet the DDP failed to capture the voices of the citizens who actually own the city and it did little to revitalise the local economy.
When Dongdaemun Stadium was demolished, many merchants who had already been displaced by the Cheonggyecheon Stream development in 2003 were once again forcibly relocated. The controversial demolition of Korea’s first modern sports facility sparked endless debate.▼5 Critics argued that DDP became nothing more than a testbed for private companies’ technologies, funded by public money.▼6 Even when the Hadogam (Joseon-era military training agency) Site was discovered during the demolition,▼7 the restoration was poorly handled, and issues continued to accumulate. Local civil groups strongly opposed the demolition of Dongdaemun Stadium and proposed a regeneration project based on remodeling, but SMG ignored their suggestions.
Today, the DDP is being operated by the Seoul Design Foundation on a budget of around 30 billion KRW. Although visitor numbers have increased, the DDP still hasn’t met its initial goal of attracting 5.5 million visitors annually. The most unfortunate loss, however, is the disappearance of the everyday history of the people and the vibrant energy that once surrounded the Dongdaemun Stadium. Urban planners and architects seem unaware of the damage done to the Dongdaemun commercial district, largely because no thorough research or documentation was done on the area before or after the demolition. The rush to begin demolition – just five months after the architect was selected – blocked access to the high-traffic area around Jeil Pyunghwa Market, drastically reducing the number of visitors. Over time, the entire Dongdaemun commercial district crumbled. Now, more than 10 years after DDP’s completion, the vibrant atmosphere of Dongdaemun has all but vanished.
What SMG overlooked in building DDP was the exclusion of local merchants, factory workers, and students – essentially, the original residents – from the definition of the ‘citizens’ who would use the space. There’s only so much you can do to draw tourists with flashy architecture and design exhibitions. Can we really call it a public space if the locals can’t use it and don’t feel welcome?
Youn: When Zaha Hadid’s design for DDP was unveiled, it drew criticism for not blending effectively with Seoul’s urban context. In response, you pointed out the irony of ‘demanding identity in a city like Seoul, which actively rejects its own’, adding that ‘Zaha Hadid’s architecture was never intended to prioritise public engagement.’▼8 Your another critique noted, ‘Hadid’s design might look open, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s accessible.’▼3 So, is DDP truly open? If not, what’s causing its sense of isolation?
Park: Originally, exit 14 of the subway station, which connected to Jeil Pyunghwa Market and Migliore, was the main entryway for the Dongdaemun Stadium area. Foot traffic was divided between retail and wholesale market visitors, but it’s unlikely that Zaha Hadid’s office was ever informed of this context. The current isolation of the building is a disastrous result of placing the entrance towards the subway intersection, ignoring over 50 years of established foot traffic patterns. The real tragedy of DDP lies in the fact that, during the design competition, there was no clear consensus on what the public actually wanted, and the SMG bears significant responsibility for commissioning a design with almost no analysis of the area. Even if we critique the undemocratic process, and even if we fully understand Zaha Hadid’s ‘context-free’ architectural philosophy, it’s undeniable that Hadid made little effort to understand the social and geographical workings of the area.▼8
A comparable project is the Guangzhou Opera House, which opened in 2010 for the Asian Games. It illustrates how the outcome of a building can be heavily influenced by its political and social context, even if designed by the same architect. In an effort to determine whether DDP’s failures were due to Zaha Hadid, SMG, or the citizens themselves, I visited the Guangzhou Opera House in 2013. Although completed in 2010, cracks were already visible throughout the building, making it appear much older than its actual age. According to an interview with a staff member, the opera house was originally intended for opera performances, but the local demand for opera was too low, and the operating costs were too high. As a result, the venue was outsourced and is now primarily used for children’s programmes.▼8
In contrast, the Phaeno Science Center (2005) in Germany, designed for local children, showcases Zaha Hadid’s design philosophy at its best. It’s not only a space frequented by children but also captivates adults with its interesting exhibitions and spatial composition. Meanwhile, MAXXI—National Museum of 21st Century Art (2009) in Rome, though somewhat isolated, has established itself as a globally significant contemporary art museum thanks to its thoughtful exhibition programming and high-quality shows.
Youn: What can be suggested to make DDP a more open cultural space for future residents?
Park: Currently, DDP operates by leasing its commercial spaces to large corporate franchises to generate revenue. The number of design-related programmes in its exhibition lineup has been quite small, though it’s gradually increasing. Now, as the DDP reaches its 10-year anniversary, it’s time to rethink its exhibition programming and diversify how the space is used.
Seoul is a city deeply rooted in real estate, and most people are participants in the real estate speculation game. The negative side effects of this, including the demolition of urban history, the disappearance of affordable housing for lower-income residents, and the destruction of commercial districts, have not been adequately addressed. Unfortunately, the permanent exhibition at DDP on Dongdaemun Stadium erases key historical narratives, such as the history of street vendors, clothing factories, and the market itself. Cities are driven by complex values and oversimplifying them makes it impossible to understand their true vitality.
While design is one measure of a good public building, as long as the stories of the people who shaped the history of Eulji-ro and Dongdaemun are excluded, the DDP will remain closed off. Urban diversity isn’t just about race or gender, it’s about the diversity of ways of life, history, and the buildings themselves. A just city doesn’t simply look good; it’s a place where citizens can actively participate in critical urban planning decisions and be the main agents of change.
To truly revive DDP’s public nature, we need to move away from the narrow model of viewing citizens as mere ticket buyers and instead expand the focus to include local residents and merchants. By recognising and restoring the erased histories of the city, DDP can once again become a truly public space.
1. Lebbeus Woods, ‘Drawn into Space: Zaha Hadid’, Architectural Design 78 (2008), pp. 28 – 35.
2. ‘World-renowned Architect Zaha Hadid’, Oh Sehoon, mayor of SMG’s Naver Blog, https://blog.naver.com/ohsehoon4u/120067623363, accessed 9 Oct. 2024.
3. Park Eunseon, Hidden History of Dongdaemun Design Park and the Star Architect, Listen to the City, 2014.
4. Do Jaegi, ‘Dongdaemun Design Plaza: Will It Become a ‘Treasure Chest’ of Design Culture or a 484 Billion Won ‘White Elephant’?’, The Kyunghyang Shinmun 14 Jan. 2014.
5. Jo Soobin, ‘100 People from All Walks of Life Declare Opposition to the Demolition of Dongdaemun Stadium’, ChamSeSang 20 Aug. 2007.
6. Baek Minseok, ‘Is DDP (Dongdaemun History & Culture Park) a Pilot Project?’, The Korean Institute of Registered Architects News 16 Mar. 2012.
7. Jeong Seongho, ‘Hanyang City Wall Discovered at the Dongdaemun Stadium Site’, KBS News 10 Sep. 2008.
8. Park Eunseon, ‘DDP: A Symbol of Urban Non-identity and Non-publicness’, Culture & Science 79 (2014), pp. 233 – 252.
