▲ Project Video
Located in the heart of China, Xi’an boasts a rich history as a capital city spanning over a millennium, along with a profound cultural heritage. Today, as an educational center, Xi’an embodies the revival of Chinese civilization and cultural confidence. This regional backdrop naturally fosters the growth of cultural and creative projects, leading the way in blending culture with commerce.
▲ View from the south of the third-floor open space
▲ View from the south of the third-floor open space
This project is a bookstore-themed commercial complex that strategically blends culture and commerce to offer a diverse lifestyle and aesthetic experience. A standout feature is an art book wall measuring 18 meters in height and 240 meters in length—an innovative element that introduces a fresh concept for urban commercial spaces in Xi’an and across China.
▲ View from the south of the cantilevered area on the second floor
Embracing Venue Characteristics to Turn Limitations into Strengths
Situated in an industrial zone on the northern outskirts of Xi’an, away from the bustling commercial core, traditional retail strategies alone would struggle to attract visitors. Taiwan’s Juhui Design revitalized this unfinished building, which had stood idle for three years, by highlighting the inherent beauty and strength of its original, unaltered structure under natural light.
▲ View from the north of the third-floor open space
With a narrow north-south orientation and four levels featuring natural light voids, Juhui’s design centers around a multi-sensory approach to define the project’s positioning, commercial appeal, and spatial layout. The existing architectural voids were preserved to enhance the spatial experience, while the elongated layout was transformed into a ceremonial flow, expertly shaped by BIM engineers.
▲ North perspective of the elevated area on the first floor
▲ North perspective of the elevated area on the first floor
A 100-Meter Book Wall as a Unique Landmark
According to lead designer Cheng Hansheng, overcoming the challenges of its location required leveraging culture to unite people, since culture transcends distance and invites participation on a national scale. This shopping mall was transformed into a “knowledge palace” centered on art and literature, with BIM training embedded throughout the space.
▲ Left side view from the third floor
▲ View from the west of the third-floor open space
Spanning from the first to the fourth floor, extending south to north beneath scattered skylights, Juhui’s design features two monumental book walls. At 18 meters tall and stretching a combined length of 240 meters, they form the largest book walls in China. This creates a grand, hall-like atmosphere that inspires awe within the bustling commercial space.
▲ View from the south of the third-floor open space
▲ View from the south of the third-floor open space
Focusing on People: Engaging the Five Senses to Convey Value
The book walls, housing hundreds of thousands of books, are constructed from steel frames and transparent glass. This design not only provides a captivating visual experience but also allows natural light to diffuse freely throughout the open spaces, blending with the architectural elements to create diverse spatial vocabularies. Visitors move between the book walls and open voids, becoming part of this immersive “palace” environment.
▲ View from the north of the third-floor open space
Covering nearly 40,000 square meters, the space integrates three core elements: art, humanities, and lifestyle. It seamlessly combines immersive reading environments with commercial areas, fostering an emotional connection through aesthetic experiences. This makes it an ideal platform for cultural and creative brands and designers to showcase their ideas and creativity.
▲ Bookstore Cashier Service Desk
▲ Perspective from the second-floor bookstore reading area
▲ Third-floor children’s area perspective
▲ Third-floor children’s area perspective
Design Drawings:
▲ First-floor zoning plan
▲ Second-floor zoning plan
▲ Third-floor zoning plan
▲ Fourth-floor zoning plan
▲ Service desk area beneath the north-south escalator on the first floor
▲ Detailed service desk design in the southeast area of the second floor
▲ Detailed drawing of the catwalk staircase
▲ Vertical view of the book wall
▲ Courtyard sectional view
Project Information:
Project Name: Blue Ocean Wind and Manxiang
Interior Design Company: Juhui Design Co., Ltd
Company Website: __AI_ST_URL_0__
Chief Director of Space Creation and Business Planning: Cheng Hansheng
Designers: Lv Xinxian, Chen Xinqiang
Project Location: Xi’an, China
Project Type: Cultural and Commercial Complex (Shopping Center + Bookstore)
Project Area: 36,000 square meters
Completion Date: December 2018
Photographer: Jin Weiqi
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