Dongdaemun Design Plaza

Dongdaemun Design Plaza
General information
LocationDongdaemun, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates37°34′01″N 127°00′34″E / 37.5669°N 127.0094°E / 37.5669; 127.0094
Construction started2009
Inaugurated21 March 2014
Cost$451 million
Technical details
Floor area86,574.7 m2 (931,882 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Zaha Hadid
Awards and prizesSEGD Merit Award, 2015
Other information
ParkingAvailable

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP; Korean: 동대문 디자인 플라자) is a major urban development landmark in Seoul, South Korea, designed by Zaha Hadid and Samoo, with a distinctively neofuturistic design characterized by the "powerful, curving forms of elongated structures." The landmark is the centerpiece of South Korea's fashion hub and popular tourist destination, Dongdaemun, featuring a walkable park on its roofs, large global exhibition spaces, futuristic retail stores, and restored parts of the Seoul fortress.

The DDP has been one of the main reasons for Seoul's designation as the World Design Capital in 2010. Construction started in 2009, and it was officially inaugurated on 21 March 2014. It is physically connected to Seoul Subway via Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on Line 2, 4, and 5.