Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, will be rebuilt as a glass facade structure in the shape of an hourglass.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 13th that it held the seventh architecture committee meeting on the 12th and approved the construction project for the Galleria Apgujeong west and east buildings. The west building will have seven basement levels and eight above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 88,371 square meters, and the east building will have seven basement levels and eight above-ground floors with a total floor area of 68,892 square meters. The combined total floor area will be 157,264 square meters.
The architectural design will be led by world-renowned architect Thomas Heatherwick. The east and west buildings will be formed as two glass facade structures in the shape of an hourglass. By creating a structure in which the interior and exterior of the building are consolidation, the plan is to form a space where citizens and the city communicate in real time and to create a new architectural landscape in the city center.
A pedestrian system will also be built, connecting an integrated underground plaza that links the east and west buildings, indoor open spaces, a mid-level garden, and a rooftop garden. The underground plaza will be used as a space for culture, relaxation, and events.
Renewable energy such as solar power, hydrothermal energy, and fuel cells will be introduced, and a double-skin system will be applied. By securing performance at the level of zero-energy buildings, the project is expected to help alleviate the urban heat island effect.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to realize this project as a leading example of K-architecture that combines creative architecture and public interest, and to turn the Apgujeong area into a world-class architecture and design destination.
Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Government also approved the Dosan-daero A station area revitalization project, which will develop the existing hotel site around 52-3 Cheongdam-dong into a mixed-use complex. The project will consist of one building with eight basement levels and 38 above-ground floors, a total floor area of 69,618 square meters, including 75 hotel rooms, 29 units of multifamily housing, and 20 officetel units.
The revised plan includes improvements to hotel ancillary facilities and service circulation lines. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to strengthen the tourism, commercial, and cultural functions around Dosan-daero to expand tourism infrastructure in the Gangnam area.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said, "These projects being promoted in the Apgujeong and Cheongdam areas are a leading example of urban space transformation that combines design innovation with tourism and cultural functions."