Can you walk on the DDP roof?[전승훈의 아트로드]

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) rooftop tour experience

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul is a very beautiful building with curves that change depending on the angle from which it is viewed. It looks like a UFO, a human organ, or a breathing whale shark or octopus. At night, a colorful light show is held. Aspiring fashionistas often take photo shoots here, and it is also a popular spot for tourists from foreign countries to take proof photos.

DDP is a streamlined building, full of aluminum panels. Walking on this slippery round roof? It was something I could never have imagined. However, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the opening of DDP, the city of Seoul opened the roof of the building to the public on the 25th. This is the ‘DDP Rooftop Tour’ that will be piloted until the 17th of next month.

Previously, the DDP architectural tour was being conducted on a permanent basis. The rooftop tour is a tour that goes beyond the existing DDP indoor and outdoor space tour and allows you to go up to the roof garden, which was a hidden space of DDP made up of atypical aluminum panels and the desert plant ‘Sedum’.

DDP, which opened in 2014, is the last work ‘Landscape of Metonymy’ by British architect Zaha Hadid, winner of the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of architecture. It is a building made up of over 45,000 aluminum panels of different sizes and shapes. It was designed as a ‘pillar-less curve’ symbolizing the dynamism of Dongdaemun. It is a hot place for tourism in Seoul with over 100 million cumulative visitors to date.

When I got to the bottom of the rooftop, I could see how the ceiling structure with aluminum panels was supported. A truss structure is created with numerous pipes of this shape to distribute the load of the roof.

There is a lot to do before starting the actual rooftop tour. First, sign the safety pledge and write the phrase with a pen on the towel you will be holding when taking a commemorative photo. You can also write phrases such as ‘Visit Seoul Again!’ and other wishes for congratulations, love, and success.

Also, wear a harness with a safety loop attached and a safety helmet.

Participants will move to a safety system certified by Germany’s DEKRA, a global testing and certification agency. There are 10 participants, but there are 5 to 6 safety guards at the front, back, and in the middle.

The tour is conducted according to the manual. It is said that Seoul City prepared thoroughly for nine months prior to the tour, including inspections by safety experts such as the Central Fire Department and the Korea Industrial Safety Association and a review of the roof structure safety.

If you go up to the DDP roof, you can see a panoramic view from Namsan to Dongdaemun. The curves of DDP, which blend in with the surrounding fashion malls, are an exotic landscape that gives an unfamiliar feeling. I never imagined that a photo from this angle would appear in Seoul too.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has long said, “The rooftop of DDP may also be opened to promote foreign tourism to Seoul.” Even if the city of Seoul does not directly promote tourism in Seoul, the photos taken by foreigners posted on DDP will spread around the world through social media, naturally promoting Seoul’s beautiful architecture, history, and culture.
Mayor Oh said at the meeting, “It is the role of the city of Seoul to create many beautiful, fun and interesting tourist points,” and added, “In an era where everyone in the country is an influencer, if there are many good points, promotion will happen automatically.”

When you go up to the roof, you attach the safety loop to the harness worn on your body and connect it to the steel wire installed on the DDP roof. Because the roof is sloping, a hook is attached for safety. The loop fixed to the safety rope makes it difficult for participants to undo it on their own.

The line connected to the safety rope extends up to 3m. It’s the same principle as a dog walking leash that automatically increases and decreases. For a moment, I feel like a dog clinging to DDP. Trusting this line, I can take pictures and pose with peace of mind.

These safety measures are also used when taking a tour up the Harbor Bridge, a famous landmark in Sydney, Australia. It is a device that safely secures the body to a steel structure and moves it because strong winds can cause accidents.

The tour is a course where you can walk a total of 280m on part of the DDP roof for about 30 minutes. Among the tour participants on this day were a woman from the Netherlands and a man from France. “It was a very fun exploration to see the unique side of Seoul,” he said.

After pilot operation this year, the course will be expanded and developed in various ways next year, and will be operated for a fee as DDP official content in the spring (May) and fall (September-October) seasons.

Anti-slip panels have been attached to the walking area on the DDP roof to prevent slipping. Also, the part where you step on it is harder because there is a pipe passing through it. On the other hand, the areas that are not designated as passing paths are a bit thin, so people who are quite heavy will feel that the floor is sinking in a little.

During the pilot operation period, a total of 24 sessions will be held twice a day (1:30 PM and 3:30 PM) for three days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Adults between the ages of 18 and 70 can participate. However, weight is limited to less than 100kg. The number of participants per tour was limited to 10 people for safety reasons. A commemorative towel is provided during the tour. Tour staff hold towels on the roof and take pictures of your life.

There are approximately 220 tour participants during the pilot period. Of these, about 120 were selected from among those who sent their stories in advance. In addition, the Paris Olympics and National Sports Festival Seoul athletes, designers, and Dongdaemun local merchants are invited to the event. 100 people were accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, but the open run is said to have already ended with tens of thousands of people attending.

On the first day of the tour on the 25th, they were joined by 20 citizens who were selected out of 1,088 people who sent special stories such as marriage and starting a business. Among the participants were a mother who became a college student just in time for her child to enter elementary school, a foreign student who fell in love with Korean culture and the charms of Seoul, and a soon-to-be couple who met for the first time at the DDP job fair and are planning their future together.

There was an interesting part of the DDP roof exploration. The point is that there is a garden on the roof of DDP.

Can plants live on a roof with aluminum panels exposed to such hot sunlight? The desert plant ‘Serum’ is planted here. It is said to be a type of succulent plant that can survive without much watering. Other types of flowers also bloom in spring and summer. It’s fall now, so the roof is brown.

From the garden on the roof, you can see remnants of the old Dongdaemun Stadium. This is the lighting tower that illuminates the stadium during night games. You can also see Igansumun Gate, which connected the water flowing down from Namsan Mountain to Cheonggyecheon Stream.

Before the rooftop tour, we tour hidden spaces in DDP that you cannot normally visit. The place I visited that day was the infrastructure space in charge of DDP’s heating, air conditioning, cooling, and ventilation. Even though it was a space like this, it was neat and well organized.

In the case of a DDP covered with aluminum panels, there are no windows, so I was curious about how air comes in and out. Some panels have holes to let fresh air in and out.

In the space for equipment, there is a panel with holes like this. It is said that some of the panels on the roof are used as solar power panels.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation said, “The DDP Rooftop Tour, held to celebrate its 10th anniversary, is another attractive content of Seoul that allows you to appreciate the charm of downtown Seoul at a glance.”

N Mountain to the Han River, providing a glimpse into Seoul’s historical infrastructure. The combination of ‌modern architecture and ⁤historical elements creates a‍ unique atmosphere that draws visitors to the⁣ DDP rooftop.⁣

Not only​ is the rooftop exploration an opportunity for panoramic views and captivating photos, but it‌ also ‌allows participants to appreciate⁢ the blend ⁢of nature and urban life right in the heart ‍of Seoul. The presence of the desert plants alongside⁣ distant historical reminders offers a striking contrast, showcasing how nature can thrive in⁤ an urban ⁣setting.

In‍ addition to visitor safety,⁣ the DDP rooftop tour aims to elevate awareness of Seoul’s cultural heritage and contemporary design. By ‍integrating these experiences into the tourism‌ landscape, Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s ​vision is to enhance Seoul’s ​global appeal as a vibrant city⁣ rich in history, architecture,​ and innovation.

As this ⁣unique tour progresses, it will certainly attract more attention,‌ encouraging tourism ‍and ⁢promoting the idea that there are always new⁢ perspectives ‍to be discovered in familiar places. The​ DDP rooftop is⁢ poised to become a must-visit destination,⁤ inspiring both locals and tourists alike to engage⁢ with Seoul’s ​diverse beauty.