Island of Wonders

The Dalian Huanan MixC One Mall is in a new urban neighbourhood that is attracting young families in particular. One of CR Land’s main objectives was to use this neighbourhood to contribute to Dalian’s urban development. Located outside the city centre, the area is set to become the new urban centre of the metropolis – with this mall at its heart.

Our concept takes up the charm of the coastal backdrop with its craggy cliffs and rocky islands, and positions the new mall as an ‘island of wonders’. In the same way as along the Dalian coastline, visitors are taken on a varied voyage of discovery. Each of the mall’s main areas has its own sight to explore in the form of references to nature and the typical landscapes of the region – from underwater caves and cliffs with bird nests, to the starry sky of a full moon night. The mall’s visitors are thus offered a spatial experience as well as a shopping experience. As they progress through the mall, they are constantly presented with fresh perspectives and make discoveries that will become lasting memories.

Among the mall’s visual highlights are its impressively large atrium voids that are flooded with natural light thanks to generous skylights. The individual levels are modelled in a variety of organic shapes around a central air space. The atriums are thus stacked and staggered upon each other, resembling the irregular projections of a rocky island. At the same time, visual relationships are created between the galleries on the different vertical levels, arousing curiosity and encouraging visitors to explore the space. Overall, the mall appears as a large-scale sculptural space that is clear and uncluttered, yet full of surprises.

The atmosphere inside the mall is as relaxed as taking a gentle meander along the beach. The material concept evokes maritime associations with pale-coloured slats dominating the walls and ceilings. They are reminiscent of driftwood weathered by the sun, pontoons leading out into the water, or perhaps the hull of a fishing boat. The ceiling lamellae vary in width and are aligned at different angles: They differentiate the levels and create dynamic shifts of direction that alternate with the viewer’s shifting perspective. The wooden structures wrap around the jutting balconies like a skin: powerful, delicate, organic and controlled at the same time. Despite the size and expanse of the spaces, this execution engenders a feeling of security.

Visual focal points, a stringent spatial differentiation and clear, intuitive user guidance make it easy for visitors to find their way around and render the mall highly recognisable. Large atriums as impressive and complex stages alternate with passage-like galleries, creating an exciting and memorable sequence. This rhythm is further supported by the choice of materials and lighting. As a result, the size of the space is broken down to a human scale that visitors can assimilate. Together with the graphic wayfinding system, the shopping mall becomes an easily navigable space that invites visitors to return again and again.

The attractive mix of shops on offer is complemented by a variety of gastronomic offerings and cinemas, as well as temporary spaces designed for pop-up stores and events – providing many reasons to meet up and many opportunities for creating lasting memories. The mall thus becomes a central place for social interactions in the new urban neighbourhood.