Located in the upmost residential district of Northwest Zhengzhou, the Dongfeng City project constitutes a radical interpretation of shopping mall, setting a precedent in the region for contemporary urban development. This 350,000 sqm building covers nine levels of retail and family entertainments, an elevated fountain plaza, an indoor canal, numerous theme restaurants, one hotel tower, highlighted by an iconic LED canopy stretching across the top of the entire complex.

Our design draws inspiration from Classical Chinese “Treasure Bowl/Cornucopia”, a special container symbolizing auspiciousness and happiness. It has set out to create a vibrant yet intimate “urban container”, a public setting that embraces all kinds of social activities, generates immersive experience--a celebration of cultural and geographic openness and diversity. The overall result is an interconnected community grounded in tradition but poised for the future.

With the aim to enhance the multiplicity of the building, we integrated the Family Entertainment Center (FEC) concept into the mall’s overall design: A family oriented indoor entertainment complex that will be geared toward all age groups. Combined with customized and branded retail and restaurants, this venue will serve as a destination for families in the future.

Interior landscape is another feature of the design. Zhengzhou is among the country’s top 10 most- polluted cities. To raise the citizen’s awareness on environmental protection and aid in the creation of a microclimate for visitors, the design adopt both horizontal and vertical greening into the building. The roof garden, together with visible indoor green spaces to the street level pedestrians, proposes a new alternative for enhancing the condition of the urban environment, while maximizing landscape efficiency.

The fountain plaza and canal on the 5th level, together with a vertical aquarium, introduce the element of water, a symbol of life into the building. The elevated fountain plaza, functions as a community gather place, will be the largest of its kind in China. Visitors can experience the water promenade through a gondola tour along the canal or take a breathtaking ride in the glass elevator through the aquarium. Various theme restaurants are scattered around the theme of water. All of which create an unprecedented experiences for local citizens of Zhengzhou, a northern city with dry climate, giving the building the highest degree of originality.

Once built, Dongfeng City will become the new urban landmark, a powerful catalyst that giving the district a new lease on life.