Seoul is a city full of contrasts. One corner you see a traditional Hanok house and in the next corner stands a towering Skycraper.The Joseon Palace is few kilometers away and then beside it are modern buildings and apartments.I get out of the taxi and I was kinda feeling lost, a giant shopping mall towered over me, with so much people in the streets and lights are so bright. This city is so alive, indeed Seoul never sleeps.

A few strides, a futuristic building is in front of me. It looked like a space ship that landed in the middle of the city, that is as far as I know–finally, i saw the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

I was really eager to see another masterpiece architectural work by Zaha Hadid. Remember when I was admiring her works in Innsbrück? now here´s another eye-catching structure that I´ve seen while playing tourist in Seoul, South Korea.

My Korean friend had asked me numerous times, “So what´have you´ve been doing in Seoul“? I said, I kept busy seeing that and those.I was completely fascinated, and totally into this lively city.

There´s another big highlight during our visit.There was this Seoul DDP Light show Autumn- Digital Nature by Miguel Chevalier.It´s happening in the most futuristic and iconic structure in Seoul, in DDP.I was gawking to the massive height of Lotte Tower but then again blown away by how pretty this building is. Too bad I was not able to get inside due to limited time but seeing this architecture gem is already enough for me.

Zaha Hadid is an amazing architect, with the concept of designing a “powerful, curving forms of elongated structures.”Designing together with Samoo ,it serves right that Seoul earned the world Design capital in 2010.Looking at it, it is quite evident that this building is composed of undulating surfaces that resembles the flow of liquid and flexibility in space. Compared to square-block Bauhaus, DDP is totally Metonymic landscape.Look how tiny people are and how it bring such a light in the city!

The designing architects used fluid simulation technology which depicts the flow of the water of Han river that flows through Seoul and creating a frozen like-wave structure. The green roofs of the plaza depicts the lush greenery of the city running along the river.How cool is that?!

“Architecture is supposed to become an experience of failure and crisis.” 

Macro Frascari (1984) Tell-The-Tale Detail.

Again , Seoul managed to integrate nature into human existence. This Plaza I have learned linked the park and plaza into one. There´s this bridge where people crosses and goes into their everyday lives and connect inside this green oasis in the most busiest part of the city.It´s like a chain connecting people to have leisure, relaxation and refuge.Right in the middle of the city, it has become a place where people get together but not compromising the city´s old history.

The French Digital artist Miguel Chevalier is a master of digital art, is the main artist to be featured in “Seoul Light DDP 2023 Fall.” Chevalier’s “Meta-Nature AI,” which depicts images of trees and flowers throughout the four seasons and was created by artificial intelligence, will be on display.I am so thrilled that we were able to see his show and in time of our visit. Again, nature is displayed so I am not really complaining.

As we walked around the center, people gathered up, most likely a night picnic in the park. Children, adults and all ages picked up spots to just chill and enjoy the show. The outdoor curved facades of DDP serves as the giant screen where flowers, plants, nature and magnificent rays of lights goes in harmony creating an unforgettable light show in Seoul.

One local talked to me in Korean but I actually understand her, saying there will be light, choose your place! Indeed, she was right.I wished I could have captured it all but then I cannot. The show is accompanied with glorious music and the whole place is transformed like Monet´s garden, full of colors, mysterious beauty and advance technology. Light, architecture, and nature goes in harmony again in Seoul.

The light show explains the 4 seasons in Korea. We managed to see these different seasons in artificial lights and 3d pictures and i could understand why the artist chose this theme. Korea is a country that evolves in colors if four different seasons just like here in Europe. I was still amazed by Van Gogh´s Alive in Münich which showed his masterpieces Artworks in ethereal light show, but then this was actually another compelling experience.

I felt like an alien in a very futuristic place like this. It´s beautiful but altogether it also very intimidating. Probably because I´ve got used to flat landscapes here in Bavaria where mountain peaks are the only skycraper I´m seeing!

Are you interested in Architecture just like I am?

What do you think of the BMW Headquarters in Münich?

Until then, Tschüss!