Project Description
Emerging in the old port, at the heart of Qingdao, Eye of World mall has become a retail landmark destination for the new financial business district as well as from international arrival in Qingdao Cruise Terminal. With the mall façade primarily covered by glass façade, it makes the mall itself appear to be a prominent beacon along the east side of Jiaozhou Bay.
The architectural legacy is to present Qingdao to the eye of the world by envisioning the future and being seen by the world. The Eye of World concept was applied quite literally into the design and form of the architecture. The bold move is to introduce the ‘Pearl of the Sea’, like the iris to the eye, the primary intention is to complete the legacy that the symbol of Qingdao is to envision and be recognized, to see and be seen.
The presence of the Pearl in the mall will be celebrated internally and also externally from the cruise arrival. The main strategy for the interior design is to enhance the space to be the new ultimate tourist destination. As Pearl occupies the hottest zone in the mall, proposing a highly flexible and connected space is fundamental. The spaces provide an adventurous retail and instagrammable experience along with sea view. It connects through all levels and crosses all spaces. The only atrium in the mall also plays an important role to become a connection point to multiple accesses including the L5 indoor roof garden. The roof garden offers a greenhouse experience in which the visitors will come here as an escape adventure from the city. It is ultimately an outdoor space, enclosed with a glass roof. The space is designed in a smart way as an integrated retail and sustainable space yet able to split flawlessly the public and private F&B area.
The Eye of World will introduce cross-border duty-free collection stores, boutique retail, fashion, etc. Light luxury, immersive catering and other formats create a regional and international connecting port to improve the level of supporting services and help the construction of a “harbour that attracts young people” and an “international shipping, trade and financial innovation port”.