Translated with AI
Unusual shopping malls created on the premises of former factories, warehouses and railway stations are gaining popularity in Chinese megacities. These non-standard commercial spaces attract visitors with their unique atmosphere and become new points of attraction, especially for young people, Renmin Ribao reports, citing the Huanquan website.
Long rails, old platforms, abandoned warehouses – increasingly, Chinese consumers prefer such creative spaces to traditional shopping malls. In Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities, the number of such projects is growing rapidly.
A striking example is Beijing's Langyuan Station complex, created on the site of a 40-year-old textile warehouse. In 2019, a large-scale reconstruction began here, transforming the industrial zone into a modern urban space with coffee shops, bookstores, galleries and designer boutiques.
According to General Manager Zhao Chunyan, the location and transportation accessibility did not allow for the creation of a traditional shopping district on the site of the textile warehouse. However, non-standard commercial spaces have special advantages: they cannot be replicated, each of them has its own unique character.
As the data show, the area of non-standard commercial projects implemented in recent years in most cases does not exceed 50 thousand square meters. Their compactness and flexibility allow to consistently adhere to the chosen concept and maintain a single style. In architectural terms, the format of open quarters with extensive green areas and recreation areas prevails, turning retail spaces into centers of communication and leisure.
The success of such projects can be attributed to several factors. First, urban renewal programs create fertile ground for the transformation of old industrial sites. According to data released by China’s Ministry of Housing, Urban-Rural Development in July last year, more than 2,600 old industrial and commercial areas have been renovated and redeveloped across the country. Second, the growth of conventional shopping malls has slowed, and traditional formats are becoming monotonous. Against this backdrop, unconventional projects are becoming a platform for innovation and growth.
As noted, the main advantage of non-standard retail spaces is the concentration of unique brands. In Langyuan Station, 80% of the tenants are independent brands that attract young people with similar interests and lifestyles. This creates a special atmosphere that cannot be reproduced in regular shopping centers.
(Editor: Yang Qian, Deng Jie)
