Asia Designers Directory - CLOU Architects Invigorates Old Town in Qingdao

CLOU architects was commissioned by Vanke to design the fourth-floor atrium of the newly opened Future City Mall in Qingdao, China. Located in Qingdao’s northern district, Vanke Future City is a new shopping and leisure destination that intersects aesthetics, creativity, and social experiences to bring fresh vitality to Qingdao’s old town and its surroundings.

The crux of the design challenge was to create an iconic social space that draws customers to the retail and dining areas in the mall’s upper levels. To achieve this, CLOU Architects created the concept of an immersive jungle garden.

Today’s consumers value comfort and intimacy in commercial and public spaces, and cherish nature, outdoors, wellness, and social interaction above all. Responding to this, the practice decided to integrate nature and art into an immersive space. Drawing inspiration from the paintings of Henri Rousseau, CLOU created a vibrant and experientially unique jungle garden.

: © Zhu Runzi

: © Zhu Runzi

: © Zhu Runzi

: © Zhu Runzi

In the atrium’s central space, the firm chose a two-storey red cube structure as the focal point, surrounded by a jungle of plants and water. Reminiscent of the primitive and mysterious scenes in Rousseau’s paintings, the vibrant colours, light, and shade invoke an imaginative and dreamlike atmosphere.

The practice chose bright red as a primary colour to create a striking visual impression to quickly grab people’s attention. Like the flowers and animals featured in Rosseau’s mysterious paintings, the practice created a dazzling contrast between the colourful subject, detailed background, and a pleasing sense of illusion.

A circular bridge on the first floor connects the central cube to its surrounding areas with varying staircases. Tropical greenery, seating, water features, and staircases create human-scale details, enhancing the walking experience and enticing customers to linger and explore. Various paths and steps allow one to explore and take photos along the way. The entire atrium serves as a public space for the local community to relax and enjoy a perfect venue for community events. With its design for Qingdao Future City, CLOU Architects hopes to unleash the social and artistic potential of the commercial space.