China Resources Vanguard challenged design firm rkd retail/iQ to create the first international caliber lifestyle supermarket in China within their new mix-use development MiXc.



The space was shaped like a long rectangle with mall entrances at both ends. To connect both ends of the mall and help facilitate customer flow, designers came up with a simple curving spine drive aisle. Fresh food categories such as fruits and vegetables, seafood, meats, delicatessen and bakery were placed along the focal side of the long perimeter in a collection of specialty shops. Features were developed for each food category: a sculptural tree composed of faux tree trunk sections with horizontal lightbox tree branches define the fruit and vegetable department; patina copper with dark wood was used for seafood; and translucent onyx and glass became the feature architecture for the bakery.