At the invitation of YICAI The Rising Lab and the China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA), Qin Pang, Director and Head of the Shanghai Studio at Benoy, attended the 2021 China Shopping Center & Chain Brand Development Summit on June 23 at the Shanghai International Convention Center (Pudong). He gave a keynote speech at a special session and participated in the roundtable discussions. Focusing on intelligent business data-driven decision making, the special session opened up thorough discussions on urban data and business decision making. From the perspective of an architect, and focusing on business resilience and space re-engineering as the starting point, Qin had a discussion with experts in the fields of real estate, retail and “New Consumption”, sharing their insights on the new era of constant changes.
Qin revisited the concepts of “resilience” and “re-engineering”. Resilience means adaptability, but it also implies embracing changes. This echoes the modern-day requirements for doing business, and the demand for space that support business operations has also evolved. Amidst the changes, we have been seeing similar yet different problems. Now, in our exploration of the “re-engineering” of physical business spaces, we are increasingly confronted with issues such as fast iterations, abundant supply, increasing reserves and competitive e‑commerce.
In the design process nowadays, more and more market surveys are conducted through big data to attain accurate positioning and structural rationalisation, assisting property owners with intelligent business decision making. With new ‘smart’ initiatives, the projects we design have invigorated the cities. Qin provided three examples from an architect’s point of view, covering both large cities’ urban planning and small indoor spaces. In the actual design process, different project types require different data logic from related industries. Architects need to be sensitive to the latest developments in clients’ business domain, and endeavour to explore spatial possibilities accordingly.
Qin said, “An architect can offer various spatial layouts and provide materials and inspiration for future users. Technology is a means to achieve better space experience. If buildings can be more aligned with the future of business and urban development, they will be relatively more useful and user-friendly. It is like the human body. Everyone has the same internal organs, but some people are healthy and others are not. Functioning organs and interconnected blood vessels make for a healthy body and transmit positive energy, which will have a healthy impact on others unconsciously. The same is true of spaces and architects. ”
One of our planning projects in Hebei is inspired by the concept of “mountain, forest and river”. Integrated with the diverse local scenery, it re-examines the interactions between buildings and streets, and optimises urban density and layout, creating human-centric venues and linear landmark gardens. Our goal is to create smart cities, and the key lies with the integration and parallel advancement of technologies and space creation. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) will enhance the ultimate practicality of urban design, ensure reasonable distribution of various industries, and set up a multi-dimensional road network, thereby creating unity of resources, economy, demands and environments.
The Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4 is nothing similar to the conventional “cold” airport buildings. The entire building is characterised by a Singaporean touch that soothes the passengers’ parting sadness and leaves them a deep impression of their last leg in the country. The project is inspired by the orchid, Singapore’s national flower, and the design theme is clearly shown throughout the building, from facades to indoor spaces. Today, the T4 terminal accommodates up to 16 million passengers per annum. It is not only a memorable modern building, but also redefines the travel experience.
The impressive 300-meter central concourse connects the departure section, smart check-in points, the arrival area and the transit area, forming full-featured, barrier-free passages. Besides, Singapore’s diverse urbanism and scenery are reflected in the vibrant skylights and gardens. As well as functioning as a transport hub, it attracts passengers with its diversified business forms and layout.
Benoy and Bright Food Group worked together to give a complete facelift to Moshida Plaza, located in Shanghai’s West Nanjing Road. As well as improving the cityscape, the project offers Bright Food Group an excellent opportunity to showcase its strength and image. Relying on Bright Food’s exceptional product development capabilities, the project aims to transform Moshida Plaza into a world-class urban commercial complex with flagship food stores, themed experience stores for eco-organic food products, food-themed experiential retail facilities, and a top-notch boutique hotel. The difficulty of the facelift lies in connecting the floors of the original Moshida Plaza with the corresponding floors of the original Ruitai Hotel as an annex to the extension building. The building fully taps into the local commercial resources, and enhances its overall image, without tampering with the existing structure or reducing the floor area available in the building, so as to meet the requirements of historical heritage protection, deliver a new level of urban dynamism, and improve its image.
