New completed Benoy project: CHJ INCITY

Shanghai plans to open as many as 20 shopping malls in 2021. One of these is CHJ INCITY (Caohejing Incity), which was officially unveiled in May and attracted much attention in the commercial market during the first half of the year. Benoy had the honour of working with Shanghai Caohejing Hi-Tech Park and SCPG to provide commercial planning and interior design services for this shopping mall, which is the most distinctive high-end commercial complex in the local area.

CHJ INCITY is the core commercial project within the Caohejing Hi-Tech Park, which was developed by Lingang Group, and is managed and operated by SCPG. With a commercial area of 55,000 square metres, the project is located adjacent to Hongmei Road and Caobao Road, above Hongmei Road Station on Metro Line 12. The target population was closely studied to create a precise consumer profile, which led to the positioning of the mall as a ​‘trendy toy hub for Shanghai’; a hub that will influence consumption patterns in the Caohejing area and achieve stand-out in a fiercely competitive market. The percentage of businesses that opened their doors on the first day was over 90%, attracting more than 100,000 visitors.

Combining fashion, science, technology, culture and other elements, the project not only integrates commercial arts, but also embraces the cyberpunk technology trend. In addition, a large number of first stores, concept stores and specialty stores have been welcomed into the mall in an effort to cater to younger clientele who aspire to fashionable, high-quality lifestyles. The pioneering immersive spaces create a dynamic new social setting for Generation Z, while the use of intelligent business management systems provides convenience for consumers who come here to relax and shop. CHJ INCITY’s diversified blend of hardware and software will further promote local city-industry integration. This in turn will facilitate the three-dimensional development of the Hi-Tech Park, creating a vibrant urban destination.

Benoy not only provided floor space optimisation and interior design for CHJ INCITY, but also designed the sunken plaza and main entrance. The design concept is based on the ​‘creation of art to evoke emotion’. By incorporating the themes of ​‘art galleries’ and ​‘classical learning’ into the interior design, we aimed to create new spaces for audience interaction, arousing curiosity and thought, with plenty of space for minds to wander. Here, people can find elements of spatial art from everyday life, such as museums, theatres, art galleries and concert halls, while technology and ​‘trendy toys’ align the spatial experience with the visual demands of the younger generation.

The designer believes there is no conflict between the seemingly incompatible spatial languages of life, technology and art. Both technology and art are media that serve our modern life. And while people enjoy the novelty and convenience that technology brings, there is also a need to pursue a higher level of visual beauty. A stroll through this boutique mall, brimming with visual discoveries, is like watching a theatre performance, or like spending time in a peaceful reading space.

From initial brief to completion, the project took Benoy seven years. In the early stages of the design, we started by researching the market and local consumer groups, hoping to create a ​‘small and beautiful’ commercial space rich in themes and visual appeal. A space that would help customers to forget the stresses and strains of work. Therefore, we made significant optimisations and adjustments to the building’s commercial plan. As part of this process, we integrated and harmonised the fragmented interior space using flowing visual lines, balanced spatial proportions and a comfortable traffic flow. These measures help to ensure that customers don’t feel visually fatigued or drained when walking around. The optimised space also makes it easier to convey the interior design themes and host a variety of business-oriented activities, maximising its commercial value and atmosphere.

The interior design adopts a pale colour scheme with simple, modern and atmospheric colours. The various qualities sought by the local target demographic (white-collar workers) are vividly embodied in the secondary atrium, where words in various languages and fonts are engraved into aluminium panels beneath the escalators. The main atrium is designed to be like a theatre hall; the large skylight allows customers to enjoy natural lighting during the day, while also helping to conserve energy and boost environmental performance.

When night falls, the ceiling design and lighting can be used to create festive atmospheres, meeting the needs of different occasions. The ceiling of the second-floor food court, for example, features a geometric design that arouses customers’ curiosity and entices them to explore the upper levels.

The elevator hall and public toilets on the east side explore the art gallery theme and are designed with champagne-coloured metal or glass, creating a light and shadow effect. The elevator hall and public toilets on the west side embrace the theme of classical learning, adopting warm wood tones and continuing the openwork text design.

In addition to providing commercial planning and interior design services, Benoy also developed conceptual design proposals for the building façade, as well as for the main entrances to the shopping mall and sunken plaza. As a result, traffic flows outside, in the office park and from the subway are far better connected.

Above the entrance is a jigsaw-like mosaic of green plants forming a multi-coloured façade. The mosaic is both eco-friendly and futuristic, especially when the lights come on at night and create a cyberpunk undertone. The sunken plaza uses a simple and practical single link to connect each zone, enabling accessibility and visibility. The sunken plaza also connects to the themed commercial areas (MOJITOWN and the downtown wine alley) on floor B1, solving the issue of commercial foot traffic. In addition, it meets visual and spatial requirements for a comfortable customer experience.

Since it opened for business, CHJ INCITY has already held many themed activities and given new commercial momentum to the Caohejing district. It has brightened up the commercial and lifestyle appeal of the area, while satisfying the consumption needs of different local demographics. As the first high-end boutique shopping mall in Shanghai’s Caohejing Hi-Tech Park area, there is no doubt that CHJ INCITY will become a fun and exciting place. One that attracts young white-collar workers to the area, bringing technological innovation and trendy fashion retail together in one place.

Project overview:

Location: Shanghai, China

Category: Commercial

Scale: Commercial area of 55,000 square metres

Client: Shanghai Caohejing Hi-Tech Park Development Co., Ltd.

Benoy services: Interior design, building design optimisation, partial façade design