It was crucial to breathe new life into the dilapidated building by redeveloping the Dongdaemun Keresta building into Hyundai City Outlet.
Keresta had been Dongdaemun’s flagship shopping mall (formerly Geupyeong Preya) since 1996, but following the Asian financial crisis, foot traffic gradually declined, leading to its deterioration. As the operator changed, we began by reviewing the commercial environment and sought ways to revitalize the building at minimal cost. We proposed minimal improvements to the exterior environment within the constraints of the limited budget and schedule.
To attract customers from the surrounding area and revitalize the basement level, we designed a sunken plaza at the front entrance to serve as a central hub for the neighborhood. Given the mixed-use nature of the facility, which combines retail and hotel functions, we considered the independence of each use and separate access routes. We also reorganized the space to comply with current regulations, including extending the upper and lower sections of the existing core.
Since its opening in March 2016, it has been reborn as a place leading a seismic shift in the Dongdaemun commercial district.