Yunnan Lijiang Food Court

Chef Designers: Ren Wenkai, Ou Ming, Liang Jingling

Design Team: Lu Qi, Lai Senlin, Xu Youli, Li Shengyou

Completion Time: 2020

Main Materials: I-beam, square steel, aluminum plate, facade coatings, stone-like coatings, fluorocarbon coatings, wire mesh, anti-corrosive wood, tempered glass, stainless steel, stone material.

The project is a traditional business that has been stagnant for eight years with the coverage area of​less than 20,000 square meters. It is close to the Old Town of Lijiang, Lijiang National Cultural Exchange Center, and the Tourist Center. It was supposed to be have great consumer demands, but now the business has fallen off because tourism resources have been centred on Lijiang Old Town, thus it lost the majority of visitors. Also, lack of commercial characteristics makes it difficult to maintain in homogeneous competition, and finally it decides to transform and upgrade its business for ‘going concern’ status.

In terms of overall design considerations, it tries to turn the tables by the advantages of local culture and tourism,  and make it into a brand-new popular landmark, and another must-see place for tourists in Lijiang Old Town. Based on the ideal location and the observation of the consumer demand, the project has been defined as catering space design due to a huge amount of consumers after more specific communications with business management team.

By observed, questions remain: the block is too small to ramble, it is wide but short so that it is difficult to form an enclosure effect, visitors tend to be less diversified, obsolete interior design, and the business lack awareness of characteristics. Therefore, by adjusting the location of escalator on the first floor, the project increases the storefront areas, public fountain, outdoor leisure areas, mobile snack bars, and so on, to enrich the spatial experience and stimulate the business vitality.

On the premise of “low-cost renovation” requirements, the design refines Lijiang characteristic cultures such as “Naxi architecture, ethnic costumes, Dongba totems”, creating strong regional characteristics, and at the same time interpreting fashion trends with innovative design to evoke the spontaneously visiting desire of new travelers. Once the project opens, it will become a new landmark for local tourism, as “the first themed catering blocks that combines Lijiang local culture".