Galleria Department Store, Gwanggyo Building, South Korean Architecture Design, Images Architects

Galleria Department Store in South Korea

25 Mar 2020

Galleria Department Store

Design: OMA

Location: Gwanggyo, South Korea

Photography by Hong Sung Jun, courtesy of OMA

The Galleria is Korea’s first and largest upscale department store franchise founded in the 1970s, and has remained at the forefront of the premium retail market in the country since then. The store in Gwanggyo – a new town just south of Seoul – is the sixth branch of Galleria. Located at the center of this young urban development surrounded by tall residential towers, the Galleria’s stone-like appearance makes it a natural point of gravity for public life in Gwanggyo.

The Galleria Department Store is located between the Suwon Gwanggyo Lake Park and ubiquitous buildings in the city: an intersection between nature and the urban environment. The store design by OMA has a textured mosaic stone façade that evokes nature of the neighbouring park. Appearing as a sculpted stone emerging from the ground, the store is a visual anchor in the city.

The public route has a multifaceted glass façade that contrasts with the opacity of the stone. Through the glass, retail and cultural activities inside are revealed to the city’s passers-by, while visitors in the interior acquire new vantage points to experience Gwanggyo. Formed with a sequence of cascading terraces, the public loop offers spaces for exhibitions and performances.

A place where retail and culture, city and nature collide, Galleria in Gwanggyo offers a get away from the predictability of shopping.

Galleria Department Store, South Korea – Building Information

Architects: OMA

Location: Gwanggyo, Korea
Client: Hanwha Galleria
Status: Completed
Milestones: Commission, Interior Design 2018
Program: Retail
Above Ground: 73,721 sqm
Below Ground: 63,492 sqm

Partner in Charge: Chris van Duijn Associate: Ravi Kamisetti Project leader: Patrizia Zobernig

Team Concept phase: Mark Bavoso, Alan Lau, James Lee, Slobodan Radoman, Tianyu Su, John Thurtle Schematic design: Mark Bavoso, James Lee, John Thurtle
Design development: Ikki Kondo, James Lee, Daan Ooievaar, Slobodan Radoman, John Thurtle
Interior Design: Nils Axen, Simon Bastien, Tommaso Bernabo, Minjung Cho, Felicia Gambino, Nicola Ho, Meng Huang, Zhenke Jin, Richard Leung, Ioana Pricop, Junsik Oh, Calvin Yue

COLLABORATORS
Executive Architect: Gansam Contractor: Hanwha Engineering&Construction corp. Facade Consultant: VS-A Curtain wall consultant (smart node): Withworks Model Maker: Edelsmid Emile Estourgie with Yasuhito Hirose and Made by Mistake, RJ Models Model