A Jewel for the City

MixC Wuhan is a new retail development that anchors a major lifestyle driven urban destination in central China’s most populous city. Lead8 delivered the architecture and interior design for the 190,000sqm retail podium and shopping street.

Located in the central Hankou District, facing the Central Business District in Wuhan, the landmark development features the seven-storey MixC retail mall and pedestrian shopping street connected to and supporting two commercial office towers and four residential buildings above. With its central location, each component benefits from the proximity to a range of transport connections.

The vision for the scheme was to be a jewel in the heart of the city with a concept that creates an interactive city interface, creating a pulse in the central district. The design brings an energy that harmonises with, yet also contrasts the city’s natural and urban edge.

Unlike traditional ‘closed box’ shopping malls, the design of MixC Wuhan has aimed to open the retail development by creating diverse spaces and multi-level green experiences. The iconic ‘Crystal Crown’ forms the overall IP for the project, giving the scheme its strong sense of identity in the city.

The Crystal Crown’s double-skin facade features an interactive design that brings media lighting effects to new levels. The facade displays magical, luminous designs that light up the development in a rainbow of colours. The eye-catching display propels the development beyond the typical and delivers an experience to the district and to all that visit. The ‘Crystal Crown’ has also inspired the interior design, forming the striking main atrium from within, bringing a synergy with the architecture.

The major entrances feature distinctive designs by bringing the juxtaposition of the natural and urban edge to the architectural design. The northwest entrance is defined by an elegant and striking multi-storey glass design. In contrast, the northeast entrance showcases terraced architecture that provides co-shared open spaces for public interaction, activities and events.

The development has been planned to maximise footfall across the site, placing pedestrian accessibility at the top of the agenda. The podium benefits from four entrances, strategically positioned for visitor convenience. Multi-level terraces on each side of the scheme help to curate the arrival experience into the development.

Inside the development, the retail design takes inspiration from the river, from which Wuhan sprang and prospered. The development is zoned into three distinct destinations, The Courtyard on B1, The Luxury Garden from L1 to L5, and The Aesthetic Garden on L6 and L7. Celebrating culture, nature, and lifestyle, the upper levels showcase an eclectic mix of architecture and natural forms as part of an indoor street. Expansive skylights allow greenery to thrive and daylight to illuminate the interiors. 

As part of the sustainable design attributes, the multi-layered green spaces, ground scapes, terraces and roof gardens help to replace landscape within the city and developed central district. The new natural areas are designed with the community in mind, for visitors to enjoy, relax and immerse in green surroundings.