The curving shell
Aluminium with no corners.
lumoplank — CC0 · Dwxn — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tristan Surtel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hyunmin Oh — CC BY 3.0
Seoul's leading landmark of modern architecture, a silver, curving building without corners designed by the Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid with a Korean practice and opened in March 2014. It stands on the site of the old Dongdaemun Stadium, in the middle of the fashion and wholesale-market district, and was one of the reasons Seoul was named World Design Capital for 2010. The building is clad in tens of thousands of aluminium panels of differing sizes and curves. Inside are exhibition and convention halls, a design shop, and a long white sloping walkway that links the floors without stairs. The roof carries a park you can walk on. During excavation, sections of Seoul's old city wall and a stone water gate came to light, and they are preserved in the park alongside. The plaza hosts Seoul Fashion Week and changing exhibitions throughout the year, with light shows on its façade in some seasons. Walking around the building and through its corridors is free; tickets are for exhibitions only. The best time is after sunset, when the building is lit, and the fashion malls around it stay open late into the night.
Aluminium with no corners.
A long ramp between floors.
Remains found on site.
281 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu; Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station (Lines 2, 4 and 5), exit 1
Gwangjang MarketOne of the oldest and largest traditional markets in Korea, set up by Korean mer12 minutes walk4.1
Namsangol Hanok VillageA heritage village on the northern foot of Mount Namsan, with five traditional J19 minutes walk4.5
Jongmyo ShrineA royal Confucian shrine built to commemorate the kings and queens of the Joseon20 minutes walk4.6
Changgyeonggung PalaceA quiet palace adjoining Changdeokgung on its east side; the two were once known23 minutes walk4.6Yes, the building, its corridors and the park are free to walk around. Only the exhibitions charge, and fees vary.
The Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, winner of the 2004 Pritzker Prize, working with a Korean practice. It opened in March 2014.