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Hyundai Department Store in Seoul

As online spending continues to surge, Hyundai Department Store Group (once owned by the same family as the carmaker) is providing something that digital markets can’t: sensory experiences designed to entice.

Hyundai Department Store in Seoul
On the third floor, canary-yellow cubbies are cut into walls of tufted chrome, while skeletal rails are suspended by a row of blue ribbons.

Commissioned to envision 9,552 square metres across three floors in the retailer’s new Seoul flagship, Toronto interior design firm Burdifilek set out to create what co-founder and creative director Diego Burdi describes as “the essence of interesting retail,” defined by a sense of exploration and discovery. The studio found its inspiration in the surrounding metropolis. Seoul’s pockets of density, broken up by the city’s lush forests and the winding Han River, subtly shaped the store’s individual floor plans and overall layout.

In the atrium, pillars hold up floating islands of blooming trees and shrubbery, their green foliage popping against the otherwise all-white surroundings. The tranquillity of this open space gives way to bold moments of colour, texture and geometry as you ascend through the upper levels.

The atrium’s tiered waterfall cascades into pools that glimmer under the large skylight above.

The high-end womenswear of the second floor lies under a creamy white ceiling divided by a gleaming metallic river. Gently curving walls of stone complement others that feature an elegant ombré effect, with splashes of light coral transitioning into a deep crimson. The third floor brings a mix of risk-taking, gender-neutral brands and pops of yellow that contrast with an exposed ceiling of blue-tinted black. “The unique finishes are juxtaposed against a raw palette that is unexpected in this environment,” explains Burdi. From the calm of the atrium to the edgy visual experiments above, the Hyundai Seoul gives shoppers an aesthetic adventure that the Internet can’t (yet) match.

A Seoul Retail Destination Finds Inspiration in the City’s Streets

Burdifilek carries the energy of the urban environment into a stylish department store.

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