A LEISURELY SHOP

NATURE AND SCULPTURAL FORMS INTRODUCED BY DESIGN STUDIO BURDIFILEK TURN SEOUL’S LARGEST DEPARTMENT STORE INTO A WELCOMING AND TRANQUIL PUBLIC SPACE.

- MICHELE KOH MOROLLO

Canadian interior design studio Burdifilek has completed The Hyundai Seoul – the largest department store in South Korea’s capital.

The three-level retail space – part of a multi-use business, leisure, and retail complex – includes expansive floorplates, abundant greenery and a waterfall garden.

The brief called for a new concept in a retail environment that would blend retail innovation, technology, and stunning design to create a memorable experience for shoppers that goes beyond the simple act of shopping.

Burdifilek was commissioned to design three floors with each having its own programming, and to find a design solution for the many atriums around the edge of the building.

“The Hyundai Seoul is an important piece of architecture, probably the last piece of property of this scale left in Seoul,” says Paul Filek, Burdifilek’s Managing Partner.

“It is comprised of many voids around the building that needed to be addressed.

“The client’s idea was to give back 50 per cent of these atriums to public spaces for people to have a good experience.”

A GREEN BELT

Burdifilek has worked on projects in Seoul for the past decade, and the team is familiar with the abundant nature in the South Korean countryside.

One of their goals with this project was to bring a feeling of being outdoors into the department store to soften the interiors and create a more tranquil experience for users.

They came up with the concept of a green belt to create an overall theme of tranquility and well-being.