Urban Bloom-Galleria Timeworld | Daejeon, South Korea | 2020

Architects: CA Plan Co., Ltd.
General Contractor: Exhibit Korea Inc.
Client: Hanwha Galleria Timeworld
Photographers: CA Plan Co., Ltd.

Completed in December 2020, the URBAN BLOOM is a remodeling project of the Galleria Department Store, a landmark in Daejeon built in the 1990s.

It is located in Dunsan-dong, the central business district of Daejeon, which is surrounded by small and medium-scale buildings with gray stones built during the rapid industrialization period. Dunsan-dong is the busiest downtown in Daejeon and a commercial center where many citizens visit. Therefore, the surrounding area is full of previously-built buildings and signboards which were rapidly developed.

Located in the center of Dunsan-dong, Daejeon Galleria Department Store has maintained its reputation as an iconic landmark of the area as well as representing Daejeon’s commercial district since its establishment in the 1990s.

To change this old-fashioned, gloomy atmosphere and also attract many people to Galleria, conceptual and physical distinctness from surrounding buildings was needed, and it was defined as “nature-inspired sculpture.”

The new concept of an iconic Galleria Department Store, “URBAN BLOOM,” implies a formative concept of symbolizing blooming flowers while seeking evolution and recovery towards the natural scenery instead of artificial city exteriors.

The features of 5700 petals placed on the node of organic grids are algorithmically designed in different sizes and shapes. Indeed, the algorithm of Urban Bloom was planned based on the nature of spontaneous generation, which explains that a single unit of a flower has similarities, but every petal has different shapes and sizes.

The petal module generated by the algorithm was made of metal panels, with lights installed in the center of it, transforming the entire façade into a media display at night.

In order to minimize site construction, we produced pre-fabricated modules per unit area in the factory and applied the concept of OSC (Off-Site-Construction), which can shorten the construction period and minimize environmental pollution.

Built with RGB LED modules installed with a spacing of approximately 1.5 m, the media façade produces low-pitch images. The 70-meter-high media façade features videos of urban residents passing by, big waves, snow flowers, and so on, creating a fantasy, dreamlike night view of Dunsan-dong, unexperienced before.

The post-covid19 era has led to the development of the online industry enabling contactless communication, but paradoxically it also implies the importance of offline space and its value.

The offline space, where citizens can safely settle down and obtain new experiences and inspirations, will become more important. In that sense, the Urban Bloom project in Daejeon Galleria Department Store will contribute to revitalizing the city in that it creates a place for urban citizens to gather and entertain themselves.