The Contextuality of Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Park, an Iconic Building in Seoul—A Study Based on Fuzzy Statistical Analysis

For many cities around the world, the construction of iconic buildings is a major strategy to improve their urban space and enhance recognition. Yet, newly built iconic buildings usually spark controversy owing to their relationship with the urban context of the city. In this study, revolving around Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Park, we analyze and evaluate the functional influences of its reconstruction on the urban context of Seoul. We found that though the DPP has a positive effect on the city image and cultural exchange of Seoul, it is barely satisfactory for maintaining and extending the urban context. Through the combination of a random sampling questionnaire and triangular fuzzy number analysis, we transfer previous subjective comments about the DPP into an objective evaluation, analyze its influence on the dimension of culture, and call for consideration of the continuity of the urban context in future urban planning. The results of this study provide a new perspective on quantifying the urban contextual influence of iconic buildings, reminding city planners of the balance between the development of business and the sustainability of the urban context.