Embedded in the local culture that speaks to the community, this six-storey shopping mall located in Suzhou, China, engages a wide demographic with rich programming and retail themes across different levels, including a children-themed floor, cinema, gourmet street and sports centre. It aims to provide an exceptional retail experience for local citizens and leave an indelible mark in Suzhou to reflect the region’s longstanding position as an international retail destination that is authentic to its heritage.
Placemaking is strongly evident in the design process and final outcome of the top floor in this retail space. Located at the sixth level, the top floor is a modern interpretation of the street life and waterway landscapes of Pinjiang Road, a traditional and iconic retail old street with historical significance to the city. The project team analysed carefully the macro and micro elements that make up Pinjiang Road to create a modern, indoor extension of the street with an old-town atmosphere.
The design concept of the lower five floors was inspired by the artisan tradition of wood carving and craftsmanship. The carving of sinuous and fluid surfaces informed the interior design elements throughout the floors, from the signature curved atrium edges to the dynamic curved wall cladding panels around the lift lobbies.
Shophouse typology was employed in the mall with a mix of 1-storey and 2-storey shophouse units. The shopfronts were built with the iconic white walls of traditional Suzhou architecture with subtle textures and unique moulding profiles, creating a modern and stark visual contrast to the lightweight dark metal screens that framed the units.
BENOY LIMITED
Benoy aims to transform the world through design. By leveraging its understanding of global trends, local cultures and clients’ needs, the company is committed to creating iconic destinations that can enrich people’s lives, enhance nature and deliver lasting economic values. With a rich history of over 70 years, the company has a strong global presence across APAC, EMEA and the Americas. It is celebrating 20 years in Asia this year. Benoy’s recent iconic projects include ICONSIAM (Bangkok, Thailand); Shibuya PARCO (Tokyo, Japan); Jewel Changi Airport (Singapore); Changi Terminal 4 Airport (Singapore); Alibaba Jiangsu Headquarters (Nanjing, China); and David Jones Department Store (Sydney, Australia).
PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Seazen Suzhou Wuyue Plaza
Location
Suzhou, China
Completion Date
Nov 2020
Client
Seazen Group
Gross Floor Area
236,477.6 square metres
Interior Design Firm
Benoy Limited
Principal Designer
Gregory Kovacs
Images
Terrence Zhang
This is an excerpt. The original article is published in Construction+ Q3 2022 Issue: Urban Development.
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