The Galleria, South Korea’s oldest department store franchise, has recently opened a new store in one of the country’s newest towns, Gwanggyo.
The building, Galleria’s sixth branch, has a very unique design to say the least. The facade combines multifaceted glass that appears to be breaking out from within opaque stone, as if the building was shedding its old skin and revealing the new.
See Also: Cathedral design is inspired by a Bishop’s headpiece
Appearing as sculpted stone emerging from the ground, the store is meant as a visual anchor in the city. A public route is excavated from the stone volume and connects the public sidewalk to a roof garden that includes retail and cultural activities. The glass, meanwhile, reveals the retail and cultural activities happening inside to passers-by. For those inside, the glass creates new vantage points to experience Gwanggyo. The public loop is formed with a sequence of cascading terraces and offers spaces for exhibitions and performances.
Eight unique departments are spread across the building’s 12 floors:
Floor one - Boutique & Jewelry
Floor two - Prestige Boutique
Floor three and four - Women’s Fashion
Floor five - Men’s Fashion
Floor six - Kids & Family + Mega Shop
Floor seven and eight - Sport & Leisure, Home & Living
Floor nine - Dining
Floor ten and eleven - Cinema
Floor 12 - Lounge & Academy
The project, which has been completed, was led by OMA partner Chris van Duijn.
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