Flying Maison
Frank Gehry designed the new store of Louis Vuitton in Seoul, with series of stepped glass volumes shaping the roof, pouring light deep into five storeys.
Design of the new “maison” for the fashion house celebrates its strong relationship with Korean culture. Located in the city’s Gangnam district, the building is the architect’s first creation in South Korea and shares many similarities with the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris which is also designed by Gehry.
The entire front of the structure is clad with glass, beginning with a high zig-zagging vestibule and window, leading up to a series of enclosed terraces. The façade culminates in waves of louvered panels, which is designed to give the impression of flight.
"What struck me when I first visited Seoul nearly 25 years ago, was the relationship between the architecture and the natural landscape. I still remember clearly the powerful impressions I had stepping up from the garden of Jongmyo Shrine." says Gehry in order to explain his fundamental design idea.
The new building, spanning five floors, offers a total immersion into the different Louis Vuitton universes and collections. Peter Marino designed a series of vast interiors to give free rein to his imagination in designing contrasting spaces, from the twelve-meter high entrance to intimate lounges.
Gehry’s latest design for Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris also stand out with its unique glass façade. The large expanses of glass provide picturesque views of the gardens, integrating the landscape into the experience of the museum. Visitors are able to climb exterior stairways underneath the glass sails to reach roof-top gardens and exhibitions.
Photography: © Yong Joon Choi