Rising Above the Rivers
Integrating a New Lifestyle into the Commercial Leisure Industry
Leading Leisure and Fashion for All in Lin’an District
Enhancing Commercial Projects with Greater Spatial Value and Positive Energy
Beginning with urban design and blending Lin’an’s culture with its commercial environment, our goal is to create a vibrant cultural and residential landmark through the seamless integration of architecture and landscape design. — GWP Team
As urbanization accelerates, commercial street design is evolving from traditional pedestrian walkways—marked by scattered, open storefronts—into creatively themed streets infused with rich cultural character. Our research and case studies reveal that successful cultural commercial streets reflect social trends, serving as hubs for cultural inheritance and commerce. The central design challenge is identifying unique selling points for these creative cultural streets through operational thinking.
01 Activating and Energizing Hangzhou Lin’an’s Night Economy
Located at the heart of Lin’an’s urban development, the Tiaoxi Park Cultural and Leisure Commercial Street project sits within Tiaoxi Park, adjacent to Tiaoxi University, boasting a prime geographical position. Currently, the area lacks concentrated commercial activities and themed business models, presenting a unique opportunity for strategic positioning. However, a large stock of existing shops surrounds the streets, posing the challenge of differentiating this project from other commercial centers by highlighting regional cultural characteristics.
By analyzing Lin’an’s economic trajectory and local competitors, the GWP team has set the design objective to establish a new landmark—a high-quality “humanistic living complex” commercial space. This space emphasizes a cultural and artistic community atmosphere, introduces slow-living concepts, and activates the night economy to fulfill the diverse lifestyle needs of residents, creating a competitive edge through differentiated commerce.
△ Project Location
△ Land Use Scope
02 Waterfront Landscape Boosts Commercial Value
Tiaoxi South Road serves as the main axis of Lin’an’s landscape. This project, nestled within Tiaoxi Park, borders the planned Tiaoxi South Street to the north and the urban waterfront green belt, offering a prime waterfront view. To the south, the site connects to upscale residential and office developments, blending commercial vibrancy with natural beauty. This unique location supports a concentrated waterfront commercial theme.
The architectural volumes blend modernity with nature, harmonizing with the river scenery. This complementary relationship enhances the commercial landscape and adds scenic appeal to the urban environment.
03 Creating a Diverse Business Model and Vibrant Atmosphere
Human-centered design drives our approach. The GWP team studied existing commercial formats in Lin’an and assessed residents’ current and future lifestyle needs to develop five investment sectors: urban culture, night economy, health and vitality, art and culture, and creative living.
We introduce tea and Zen culture centers, coffee shops, and cultural bookstores to promote a relaxed lifestyle. Nightlife is enriched with bars and themed dining venues that connect seamlessly to daytime markets. Fitness centers, yoga studios, and outdoor experience areas infuse energy into the district.
Artistic and creative culture is fostered through salons, exhibitions, performances, and supporting spaces like the Creative Life Hall and Overseas Commodity Concept Hall, enhancing cultural engagement. Hotels complement and thrive alongside commercial, cultural, and entertainment functions.
Our strategy prioritizes commercial integration and differentiation to craft a new humanistic and artistic living complex.
△ Business Layout
04 Flexible Layout and Efficient Commercial Flow
To attract visitors effectively, the plan adopts a “front opening, back gathering” layout, featuring wide entrances facing the waterfront to draw crowds toward the park. Buildings along the street connect seamlessly to foster a lively atmosphere.
Pedestrian paths and vehicle routes are designed separately to minimize traffic conflicts. Multiple escalators link shops across the first, second, and basement levels, creating vertical connectivity and interaction between floors.
The second-floor corridors unify commercial spaces into a multi-level shopping street, providing easy access and enhancing customer engagement and enjoyment.
△ Spatial Flow Line
05 Architectural Language Reflects Regional Culture and Urban Dialogue
Drawing from the rich cultural heritage of the region, the GWP team used traditional settlement patterns to shape the commercial blocks. Buildings are arranged in a staggered, orderly fashion with diverse commercial formats, creating a modern shopping experience infused with traditional artistic sensibilities.
By integrating the surrounding parks and waterfront landscapes, the design creates two distinct spatial experiences: urban interface and natural interface, blending tradition with modernity in a unique and dynamic way.
△ Architectural Concept
The architectural forms are inspired by traditional local dwellings and the misty, rainy Jiangnan landscape paintings. The refined linear language enhances elegance, while modern materials and construction techniques reinterpret the architecture, merging local culture with contemporary fashion.
This dialogue between old and new embodies the project’s commitment to leading a new generation of commercial lifestyle.
△ Architectural Concept
The architectural language engages deeply with the urban space. Along the river, the design continues traditional sloping roofs, with staggered rooflines evoking the soft movement of mountains and rivers. This interplay fosters an interconnected, vibrant commercial environment.
06 Unique Stores, Distinctive Features, and a Vibrant Cultural Shopping Experience
The commercial street’s layout and spatial form leverage comfortable-scale shops, landscape ornaments, and sculptures tailored for varying scenes to create diverse shopping experiences.
Playful cartoon designs craft a magical environment and a joyful children’s corner. Lighting projections illuminate the city’s historical heritage, fostering a cultural and creative atmosphere.
Visitors and families can enjoy comfortable shopping and entertainment, experiencing “one store, one scene, one feature” as they explore—energizing the commercial vibe and elevating the leisure shopping experience to a new level of quality and style.
07 Revitalizing Tiaoxi’s Commercial District with a Sunken Plaza and New Fashion
Addressing the need for open space, the GWP team designed a sunken commercial plaza that connects primary and secondary circulation areas. Vertical transportation links upper and lower-level shops, while a two-story corridor integrates diverse business formats.
This design encourages a 24-hour shopping environment that fosters interaction between visitors and businesses. The sunken plaza also functions as a transitional hub between hotels, commercial streets, and public squares, blending multiple business types and redefining Tiaoxi’s commercial fashion.
Here, commerce meets culture, shopping blends with experience, and community life thrives. Thoughtful spatial design and rich cultural elements foster a sense of connection and create a cultural shopping experience previously missing from the city.
When commercial culture grows from tradition and aligns with contemporary needs, it ensures cultural heritage continuity and sustainable development, enabling fresh breakthroughs locally. The GWP team aims to express this through the preservation of historical context and the reinvention of urban lifestyles.
In the future, the Tiaoxi Park Cultural and Leisure Commercial Street in Hangzhou will become a new commercial landmark for both Hangzhou and Lin’an—a vibrant stage for urban charm and cultural life, and a bright commercial gem for Lin’an.
△ Construction Site
Project Drawings
△ Model Diagram
△ Model Diagram
△ General Layout Plan
Project Information
Location: Hangzhou, China
Land Type: Commercial Land
Floor Area: 15,928.00 square meters
Total Construction Area: 40,628.06 square meters
Floor Area Ratio: 1.35
Design Scope: Architectural and Landscape Design
Design Date: April 2020
Project Status: Under construction; expected completion by end of 2021 and operation beginning in 2022
Design Team: GWP Architects
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