OMA completes otherworldly Galleria department store in Korea

After being commissioned in 2016, OMA recently completed the sixth and largest location for upscale South Korean department store Galleria in Gwanggyo, a new town just south of Seoul. The building features multi-faceted glass protruding from a textured mosaic stone facade, which echoes the landscape of the neighboring Suwon Gwanggyo Lake Park. This distinct stone-like appearance “makes it a natural point of gravity for public life in Gwanggyo,” OMA says.

As visitors walk along the public route that was “excavated” from the stone building, they will encounter retail spaces and cultural activities like exhibitions and performances that form a “Public Loop.” They can also peer through the multi-faceted glass facade to see views of Gwanggyo. The route eventually leads to a roof garden.