Beijing Vanke Times Center
One of China’s largest real estate developers, Vanke, challenged designers in our Shanghai studio to update a Beijing shopping mall that had closed in 2016. Rather than proposing a superficial refresh, designers completely re-thought the site’s purpose, urging the owners to consider the new Times Center as a “life hub” with generous community spaces as well as offices and retail.
This change in mindset was essential in overcoming the project’s inherent constraints. The first was its location: Since it was several kilometers away from the city’s major malls and transit hubs, the development would need to attract residents from the surrounding neighborhood. And the project is small by Beijing standards, so it lacked the scale and variety typically needed to compete with the city’s destination shopping centers. Finally, the interior was last renovated in the 1990s, and its low ceilings and limited daylight created a dim and dated environment.
Drawing from their expertise in designing performance venues and other civic buildings, designers reasoned that prioritizing high-quality community space would encourage office workers and neighbors to visit, linger, and support retail tenants.
Clever interventions bring light into the building and new life to the neighborhood. The street-facing façade was removed and replaced with a glazed curtain wall, and a dramatic installation by French artist Charles Petillon was incorporated to create an intriguing and welcoming entrance atrium.
Two additional atriums introduce natural light deep into the floorplan, and three office clusters, topped with penthouse office space and lush roof gardens, rise among them. A social stair provides informal gathering space and draws foot traffic down to a premium grocery store and dining options on the lower level. The space can also accommodate special events like product launches, art exhibitions, and children’s programs.
The project was fully leased upon opening in 2018 and was ahead of its time as a lifestyle-focused destination. It has achieved LEED Gold certification and received a 5 million RMB incentive from Beijing Municipal Government in 2019, the year’s highest award in a program that recognizes exemplary low-carbon, energy-saving projects in Beijing.
