Aim2D: real time, 24/7 #ChinaBusinessMarketing, Tech and Social Media News Portal of The Bicaverse based in sunny Shunyi, North east Beijing. Tuesdays we look at business, marketing, tech or social news in and around China. Friday is image gallery where we examine a place, topic or subject giving you greater insight, background to life in China, and of course, your Chinese consumer. If hard, practical, realistic China consumer marketing support is what you need, do drop into our sister site: Unegager. Finally, in a sign of the times, we can assure you that our content is 100% loving created and hand crafted by a fellow human. No AI chatter bots here.
Today’s post is partially introspective, partially nostalgic and possibly insightful?
Films (moving pictures) and TV, those “sitcoms” in particular are oft a good way to look back at human culture – thru the lens of the past as it were. Going back, the then young gen, dressed in black leathers, boots, miniskirts (girls) and greased back hair (boys) hung out a milk bars or dairy bars. Outside they parked rows of Vespas, Nortons, Triumphs or BSA bikes. ( Can we call Vespa a bike?)
Entertainment was via a juke box, refreshment were milkshakes served in tall, aluminium beakers that were “whisked” up as you watched and waited. They even used real milk on those days -you know, the stuff from cows.
A generation or so later, it was the Mall. That sprawling area which corralled several shops under the one roof. Entertainment was live; fashion shows, talent quests, all with a touch of circus or fairground. Raw.
From malls we had mega malls, super malls and, more recently in China at least “New Retail.” New Retail, a blend of on line and offline shopping, and something dubbed shoppertainment. Malls became more than just a place to shop – they were also places to be seen.
But as they grew is size and complexity, one thing remained pretty much a constant. The architecture. Overall, they were still fairly unattractive buildings divided into various small boutique retail outlets with a few “public spaces.” Maybe, if you were lucky, a bench or three.
However, even that has now come under the microscope. Today’s malls have shattered any stereotypical image of a big concrete box filled with many more little boxes. Many probably don’t even fit the idea, let alone definition of a mall. They are no longer just malls, they are Luxury Malls – luxury in their design, atmosphere and style.
Which leads us to today article, courtesy of our friends from “The Luxury Conversation.” Before we go there, lets just step back to January this year when we posted “China Digs Deep for 2023 growth.” In that article we looked at the latest SKP super mall in Chengdu – different in that 90% is underground.
So, this article from the Luxury Conversation, takes that as a starting point and moves on with an interview with the two British guys behind the architectural firm Sybarite responsible for many of China’s luxury malls. We hear their views, ideas and thoughts of what makes a good shopping experience. Yep, we are back to Unegager and UX – User Experience.
Photos and video are also courtesy of The Luxury Conversation.
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