One of the more popular places to visit and shop in Seoul is Dong dae mun. However, apart from the lovely shopping malls, one other MAJOR reason to visit Dong dae mun is the Dongdaemun Design Plaza otherwise known as DDP, in South Korea.
The DDP has some of the most unique architecture among all the buildings in Seoul. The way the metal grid walls of the plaza curve to form that organic structure, perfectly counter balances all the boxy office and commercial buildings in its vicinity.
The DDP isn't only famous for being a museum, but it's architecture has successfully attracted bloggers and a multitude of tourist heading just to photograph by the building. I saw a male model/blogger just casually posing where the wall curves in, so as to capture that indentation as his backdrop.
After he left, I attempted to get a cool shot in the area. But queue the multitude of tourist walking past, and then my expected failure at a glam-metal-grid-futuristic-background-fashion-blogger-shot.
Not only is the external structure of the DDP futuristic, the interior was just as impressive. It had pristine white walls and a huge angular central staircase connecting all the exhibition levels. The staircase bends and cuts in an irregular pattern and appears somewhat like and rotating hexagon from the top. Even this made for the perfect photo opportunity.
Needless to say, I went a little crazy, snapping away at every turn of the staircase.
In all honesty, I don't actually remember myself seeing any exhibitions. I probably passed by 1 or 2 free ones, but did not pay extra to see any others.
As someone who really appreciates the structure and architecture of buildings as well as their interior layout, visiting exhibitions were least of my concerns.
After climbing up the beautiful staircase and passing through corridors of curving white walls, you'd find yourself at the rooftop of the DDP.
One would think you'd be done being impressed, but the roof top view from the DDP is seriously one of the best.
I would also like to point out that the roof of this building is curved and leads you down to from the highest floor to the ground floor of the plaza. Is that not cool?!
Living in Singapore, these types of buildings shouldn't wow me as much. After all, the Art, Design and Media building in my school has slight similarities in terms of architecture to the DDP, but somehow, I WAS IMPRESSED.
Maybe it was the curvature of the surface, the way the light will undulate when it hits the building, or maybe it was the contrast between the DDP and its surroundings.
Regardless, i'd recommend anyone who is visiting Seoul to head over to the DDP and check it out.
Even if you're not an architecture junkie. Just head up to the roof top for a sick view!
Post a Comment