Thaihot Plaza Fuzhou opens

New York-based Laguarda.Low Architects has designed a retail development in central Fuzhou, China.

At a major intersection in the city centre, Thaihot Plaza Fuzhou is a 1.4 million sqft (130,064 sqm) retail centre with a six-storey luxury shopping mall to the south, a public plaza, and three levels of outdoor shops and restaurants to the north.

“We sought to create a luxurious yet inviting environment, offering convenience, comfort, and lifestyle amenities,” says Laguarda.Low principal John Low.

Thaihot Plaza Fuzhou is orientated to various transit modes and is near a growing residential and commercial district. Attractions at the complex include an automated fountain with synchronised lighting and music, and an Imax theatre.

Thaihot Plaza - Fuzhou China 2

The plaza serves as the central social space of the development. Three levels of shops and restaurants surround the open-air space with views of the surrounding city. Contiguous glass storefronts, wide stairs with integrated lighting and a large LED display above the mall entrance promote activity throughout the space.

A curvilinear skylight with horizontal and vertical glazed surfaces covers the grand atrium of the mall, filling all six levels with daylight. Above the delicate glass volume, a metal skin wraps the building.

Thaihot Plaza - Fuzhou China 3

Top-grade natural and manufactured materials were used in both the interior and exterior of the mixed-use complex, creating an environment of luxury experience for shoppers, says Low. Granite paving and facades, aluminium-framed storefronts with glass canopies, glass and stainless-steel railings, and red-clay tile and zinc are woven into the design.

Laguarda.Low Architects also designed the just-launched six-storey CapitaMall Xinduxin shopping centre in Qingdao, which comprises a six-level above-ground retail centre, two levels of below-ground retail, and two levels of underground parking.

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