Galleria Centercity

Not just a department store

Galleria Centercity

2008-2010

Merging commerce with culture

UNS’ design for Galleria Centercity Department Store in Cheonan redefines the role of large-scale commercial spaces, transforming them into vibrant social and cultural hubs. In Southeast Asia, department stores are more than shopping destinations—they are places where people gather, connect, and experience culture. The Galleria Centercity builds on this, offering visitors a dynamic and layered experience that blends commerce with community. It reimagines the department store as a museum, where exploration and discovery are central to the design.

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The design prioritises an expanded interpretation of utility, moving beyond efficiency and profitability to create a stimulating environment. Externally, the building’s double-layered facade features a trompe l’oeil pattern of vertical mullions, creating an optical illusion that makes the scale of the building unreadable. This dynamic play with perception continues inside, where layered spaces unfold as visitors move through the building, encouraging curiosity and engagement. The interior is defined by rounded plateaus, coiled strip lighting, and a central void that connects four stacked programme clusters, propelling a seamless flow of people from the ground floor atrium to the roof terrace.

Situated at the entrance to Cheonan’s new development area, the department store is prominently visible from the main road and serves as a gateway to the city’s innovative urban expansion.

The building’s dynamic flow is mirrored in its facade, which constantly changes appearance through moiré effects, special lighting, and animations. The double-layered facade not only creates visual intrigue but also enhances sustainability by allowing daylight into the interior while preventing direct sunlight, reducing the need for artificial lighting. White finishes throughout the interior further optimise natural light, creating a cooler and more energy-efficient environment.

At night, the facade transforms into the largest illuminated surface of its kind in the world. Waves of coloured light, generated by computer animations designed by UNS, ripple across the building, referencing themes of fashion, art, and public life. This media facade avoids the clutter of individual brand billboards, instead offering a holistic, site-specific approach to urban branding that enhances the identity of the place itself.

The Galleria Centercity is a bold statement in architecture and urban design, where optical illusions, dynamic flow, and cultural integration come together to create a space that is as engaging as it is functional.

Key information

Client

Hanwha Galleria

Location

Cheongju-si, South Korea

Status

Completed

Sectors

Retail

Services

Architecture

Interior

Programmes

Department store with multifunctional facilities

Building surface

66,700 m2

Building volume

395,600 m3 above ground and 297,200 m3 underground

Building site

11,235 m2

Facts and figures

66.7k

The Galleria Centercity features a gross retail area of 66,700 m2, offering a dynamic mix of shopping, cultural, and public spaces, including an art centre, VIP room, and rooftop terraces.

55

The building stands 55 metres tall, with 10 floors above ground and 6 below, creating a striking presence in Cheonan’s new development area.

6

The interior is organised into six programme clusters, each spanning three storeys, connected by a central void that encourages seamless movement and exploration.