Lotte Dongtan

Gyeonggi, South Korea (2020)

A new major inauguration for the famous Korean department store chain Lotte Shopping co.: in fact Lotte Dongtan was recently opened in Hwaseong, in the province of Gyeonggi in South Korea, about 40 km from Seoul.

This is the first branch that the giant has opened in seven years, and it is the biggest department store in the province, having opened to offer customers an innovative and multi-disciplinary shopping experience.

Spanning a total surface area of 246 thousand square metres, it showcases the biggest brands in fashion, food&beverage, furniture, design and cosmetics; however, the originality of the concept consists in the presence of other forms of entertainment, aimed at breaking down the barriers between shopping and art, to make Lotte Dongtan a benchmark for those wishing to spend time in cultural and entertainment amenities too.

As a result, a cinema and green spaces are incorporated into dedicated venues devised to host genuine works of art, with multimedia solutions to listen to explanations and enjoy interdisciplinary contexts.

In such an impressive and ambitious project, the look also plays an important role to provide a sense of welcome and involvement. So Caesar was picked among the surface suppliers called upon to give the shopping centre that special lustre. Four of the brand’s collections have played a primary role in the South Korean setting: Portraits, in the Versilia 60x60 cm Matt variant; Relate Flame, in the Veil colour and in the 120x120 cm Matt size; Join, 120x120 cm Matt in the Manor colour; Shapes of Italy, in the Sestriere shade and in the 60x120 cm Matt size.

Portraits is a porcelain tile collection that explores 6 stones which differ in their essence yet which all share beauty and sophistication. The Versilia variant retains the characteristic aspects of Tuscan marble on the surface, where time leaves its marks of history and of life.

Relate Flame, selected in the Veil variant, translates the contemporary trend of the material to ceramics, with dynamic colours and burns that distinguish the surfaces with a bold and dynamic language.

Contemporary design is also at the heart of Join, an elegant interpretation of cement and resin that lends its tactile and structural softness in Manor colour.

Nature and naturalness are also key features of Shapes of Italy, an original and exclusive take on the historic and artistic beauty that stone has succeeded in imposing. The irregular chiaroscuro shades of Sestriere lend charm and seduction to the settings, which stand out for their uniqueness.