Architecture studio Society Particular has completed Skybowl, a rooftop extension to the Hisense Plaza mall in Qingdao, China, formed of a glass hall and amphitheatre-style terrace.
Society Particular was enlisted to create a glass-walled VIP lounge for the mall but instead proposed a freely accessible events space, terrace and stage to help reinstate a visual connection between the site and the nearby waterfront.
Society Particular added a rooftop extension to the Hisense Plaza mall. Photo by Ying Liu
"Traditionally closed off and focused inward, the mall's design previously limited engagement with the city's beautiful bay views and temperate climate," the studio told Dezeen.
"Our primary objective was to create an inclusive space where people from all walks of life could appreciate the stunning views," it added. "Therefore, we had to devise a solution that was both time and cost-efficient, yet compelling enough to sway our client's original request." The extension is formed of an amphitheatre-style roof terrace. Photo by Ying Liu
Beneath the rooftop amphitheatre, visitors enter from the mall's upper level into a glazed semicircular hall. It is framed by mirrored metal columns and flanked by a restaurant and lounge that open onto external terraces.
Staircases on either side curve upwards to a small mezzanine level that provides views over the city and the hall below.
Mirrored metal columns frame a semicircular hall inside
On the rooftop, the a...