Associations of water run throughout, including brass circles inlaid into the ground level’s terrazzo floor like rippled pools. The motif conceptually links the two below-ground floors with the four above, with basement levels imagined as an underwater world. Realized through a reversal of finishes and materials - below ground, the shimmering terrazzo tiles applied to the floors of levels one to four are used on the ceiling, for example - as well as reflective stainless steel, a more muted palette evokes a mysterious underwater landscape.

Punctuating the basement levels’ softened tones are splashes of playfulness and vivid color. They include a dramatic chandelier, pouring down from the atrium and comprising spherical bubble-like pendant lighting, interspersed with glass fish. Elsewhere, the centerpiece of a ’coral reef’ area is a vibrant ceiling installation in inviting peach, pink, and orange tones. A multipurpose zone with fluidity at its core, its modular seating accommodates events of all kinds, in keeping with the mall’s lifestyle and public space focus.

Throughout, materials and finishes match the project’s overall holiday feel. For example, walls feature both custom-made ceramic tiles, as well as wood: more evocative of a beachside hotel or eatery, they strike a clear lifestyle tone. Throughout, terrazzo tiles checkered and variegated for a pixelated effect visually support interiors’ overarching aim of blurring boundaries, much like a shoreline.
Initiators of BFC Mall’s directional shift from purely commercial to a broader lifestyle concept, Kokaistudios’ interiors accommodate a significant change of programming from that which was originally planned. The switch in approach necessitated adjustments to the original floor plan to include larger, more accommodating bathrooms, complete with vanity areas and full-length mirrors. Currently comprising almost 50% food and beverage tenants, the venue boasts also Michelin stars across multiple eateries.

At BFC Mall, these various components come together to create an atmosphere of escape from the bustle of city life, in which leisure and relaxation are paramount. Comprising materials and finishes to evoke a beach getaway, and taking direct inspiration from its riverside setting, the resulting interiors set a new standard for commercial spaces in China, and beyond. Representative of an ongoing evolution of shopping malls, prompted in part by e-commerce, as well as a drive to better integrate these often-vast architectural footprints into the city’s public space, BFC Mall marks an innovative, market-informed rethink of how commercial spaces might function, develop, and forward.