Falling Into

The Pink

Taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to “a shopaholic’s dream” HASSELL has transformed a 20-year-old department store in Wuhan, China into an ‘art mall’, otherwise known as K11 Art Mall. Visually splendid and tech savvy, the project is worthy of the K11 portfolio. Hugely successful, the mall clearly proves that bricks-and-mortar retail can thrive when design is correctly paired with the target audience.

Indeed, the project abounds with an inherent sense of fun and an eye to the future. To prompt vertical movement HASSELL strategically placed vertical landmarks throughout the mall, while connecting to the adjacent mall via an external bridge. Upsetting the norm, K11 allows the mall to be the star attraction with every inch of space used to deliver ‘Easter egg’ surprises at every turn. Structurally realised as three spectacular, interconnected, circular chambers, the retail stores are wrapped around the perimeter. The idea is for consumers to experience products as art ‘masterpieces’, while shopping becomes a series of exciting discoveries. A pink accessories chamber, for example, is executed in a museum style, with displays towering upwards to the mirrored ceiling. Fabulously disconcerting, the experience makes visitors feel like they’ve stepped into a space that extends into infinity. A five-storey yellow toy chamber draws on elements of amusement parks and playgrounds while the sci-fi-inspired blue technology chamber lets visitors get lost in a world of tech. Moreover, in keeping with the K11 philosophy, the mall is filled with artwork from China and abroad. It is also a whole lot of wow! Photo: Dirk Weiblen.