Dutch Architects Unveil The “Galleria in Gwanggyo” – A Luxurious Department Store With A Glitchy Facade And Opal Windows

Dutch architectural firm OMA and partner Chris van Duijn recently unveiled one of their latest projects – “Galleria in Gwanggyo”. It is an upscale department store located in Gwanggyo, a planned city just 25 kilometers outside South Korea’s capital, Seoul, and is the sixth branch of the South Korean “Galleria Department Store” franchise.

OMA recently unveiled a luxurious department store in Gwanggyo, South Korea

Construction of the building began back in 2016 and now it has finally been finished four years later.

One of the most impressive things you instantly notice about the building is the unique glass walkway. “A public route is excavated from the stone volume and connects the public side walk to a roof garden—including both retail and cultural activities,” writes OMA. “It introduces an innovative element to the traditional typology of a department store.”

“With a public loop deliberately designed for cultural offerings, Galleria in Gwanggyo is a place where visitors engage with architecture and culture as they shop. They leave with a unique retail experience blended with pleasant surprises after each visit,” says architect Chris van Duijn.

The façade of the Galleria combines many different shapes and colors, giving it a unique and almost glitch-like appearance.

The new building is a perfect addition to this rapidly developing city and OMA say it will serve as “a place where retail and culture, city and nature collide” and one where people could “get away from the predictability of shopping.”

The Galleria in Gwanggyo features over 137k m² of retail space full of boutiques, designer stores, and diners, as well as a cinema, so the next time you happen to be in Gwanggyo, make sure to plan a visit.