Connective Monument

Connective Monument: A Modular Facade Connecting City, Brand, and Customer

Connective Monument is a facade renovation proposal for Store Cheongdam that transforms the building into a bold and interactive brand landmark. Located in Cheongdam, where high-end flagship stores and iconic brand facades are concentrated, the project responds to the site’s urban character by creating a distinctive exterior that is both luxurious and memorable.

The design is based on the idea of connection — connecting the city and the building, the existing Store identity and a new spatial experience, and the brand with its customers. The facade is composed of three-dimensional star-shaped modules inspired by brand’s symbolic value. Each module can rotate and combine in multiple directions, creating a dynamic surface that expresses the brand’s bold and playful tone.

Beyond visual impact, the facade is designed as a communicative surface. Through lighting and color scenarios, it can respond to product launches, seasonal events, and urban festivals, allowing the building to engage with the city over time. The modules also create a layered experience from the inside, filtering light and views while offering potential use as display shelves or interior elements.

The use of lightweight GFRP modules supports efficient fabrication, installation, removal, and reuse. By applying an independent facade structure, the proposal minimizes interference with the existing glass facade and store operation. In this way, Connective Monument presents Store Cheongdam not simply as a retail building, but as a flexible urban interface that embodies Samsung’s future-oriented brand identity.

 

Year: 2025

Location : Gangnam, Seoul, Korea

Phase : Design Development

Type : Commercial Facade Renovation

Principal in Charge :

Seojoo Lee, Hyojung Kim (I.f), Dongil Kim (I.f.CDL)

Design Team : Hyunjoo Kang (I.f)

Roof Structure Simulation

 

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To address this complexity, a parametric script was developed to generate roof forms by adjusting key design parameters. The script allowed multiple roof alternatives to be reviewed quickly while also checking potential conflicts between form, structure, and building equipment. Through this process, the simulation functioned not only as a tool for form exploration, but also as a technical design method for coordinating architectural geometry with structural and MEP requirements.

Overall, the study demonstrates how Grasshopper can support an efficient design workflow by allowing complex roof geometries to be tested, compared, and refined in an integrated manner.

 

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