Stone Cube Retail Store Completes in South Korea

SOUTH Korea's Galleria Department Store has completed.

Designed by OMA, the immense stone-like structure has drawn praise from the architectural community as it opens in Gwanggyo, a city 25 kilometres south of Seoul.

Above: The Galleria Department Store was designed by Rem Koolhaas' architectural firm OMA (image courtesy of Hong Sung Jun for OMA). 

Designed to be a landmark for the city’s housing district, the building’s imposing form is cleverly broken up by lateral interventions of pixelated glass.

This twisting glass volume actually serves as a public route, connecting the adjacent sidewalk to the rooftop garden while weaving through retail and cultural spaces inside.

Above: The glass public loop connects the sidewalk to retail spaces inside (image courtesy of Hong Sung Jun for OMA).

The interior of this public loop is made from a series of cascading terraces, allowing visitors to experience alternating vantage points of Gwanggyo while creating spaces for exhibitions and performances.

This walkway is designed to allow the public to interact with the architecture itself.

Above and Below: The department store will also house various cultural and exhibition spaces ( images courtesy of Hong Sung Jun for OMA).

The building itself is clad in tessellated triangles of stone, varying between beige, brown and mossy colours, making the building appear as though it is a cross-section of earth.

Above: The Galleria Department Store will be landmark building for the city (image courtesy of Hong Sung Jun for OMA).

Other amenities include a market and deli in the building’s basement and eight floors of retail above that. While the building’s upper floors contain leisure facilities, a cinema, and bars and restaurants.