DUALITY

The mission of Chongqing’s Zodi shopping mall design is to utilize the structure’s standout architecture to foster an unforgettable retail experience. Two unique visions come together as one in the duality of the mall’s design. The materials used express the primary design concepts, as guests travel freely between both worlds.

OPEN-AIR

One vision celebrates the world outside the shopping mall, as it looks to the alleyways of Chongqing’s traditional markets for inspiration. This open-air retail space brings together traditional Chinese-style brick with modern concrete, wood, and metal in various combinations to impart in the storefronts some of the city’s distinct character. It is forward-thinking yet imbued with a respect for the past.

ENCLOSED SPACE

The other vision, the enclosed world, envisions a retail experience unmoored from the outside world. The indoor space is clean, simple, contemporary. The ambience is one of modern, perhaps even futuristic, austerity. The space’s monotone scheme constructed of white marble and glass emphasizes linear geometric form while allowing the tenant designs to pop.