Shopping centres don't have to "bright, white and shiny" according to AIM Architecture, which has transformed the Xintiandi mall in Shanghai by adding natural materials and plants.
The previously underused atrium has been reimagined in the spirit of a garden plaza, with wooden surfaces, plants hanging down from the balconies and natural light filtering in from above.
A wooden trellis structure now frames the atrium
Architect Wendy Saunders, co-principal of AIM Architecture, said the aim was to bring nature into a type of space that is typically very sterile.
"The sheer scale and amount of shopping malls in Asia can be overwhelming," she told Dezeen. "Materials are usually very bright, white and shiny, and lack any natural feeling or environment." "Here, we tried to defy that," she said. "Materials were chosen to enhance the feeling of an oasis."
Plants feature throughout the interior
AIM's first move was to open up a skylight that had been partially covered over. This means that natural light can now filter into the Xintiandi atrium from all around.
A wooden trellis structure was installed around the three floors of galleries that surround the atrium. This acts a support structure for large planting boxes, which are filled with tropical greenery.
Planting boxes are mounted on castors for flexibility
There are also some larger planters in the middle of the atrium, containing a mix of trees, leafy plants and succulents. These ...