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HOHHOT MIXC
Location: Hohhot
Year: 2023
Building Area: 290000 sqmClient: China Resources
Status: Completed
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'T+C' Circulation + Spatial Narrative
Using 'spatial narrative' as the design approach and 'spatial layout' at the core, we redefine traditional commercial circulation by creating an innovative 'T+C' circulation, achieving ‘Transportation + Scenario’ dual system. The spatial layout guides movement while embedding Hohhot’s local culture, creating narrative-rich environments where every turn reveals a new discovery.
Upholding China Resources MIXC’s mission, we create sustainable lifestyle hubs that celebrate local culture. Inspired by Hohhot’s poetic name, "Green City," our design reflects Inner Mongolia’s grasslands—starry skies, sacred hada scarves, winding rivers, traditional yurts, and morin khuur melodies. Our " Fantasy Journey to the Green City” narrative blends this cultural essence with modern architecture, crafting dynamic yet harmonious, structured yet layered, grand yet detailed, and refined yet vibrant spaces where tradition meets contemporary living.
Fantasy Journey to the “Green City”
A space connected to the city and continuously evolving
The Main Atrium acts as a gateway, deeply resonating with the city. We apply modern design languages reinterprets the Mongolian yurt's grandeur and intricacy, connecting city, nature, and people. The symmetrical dome defines rhythmic spaces, while skylight daylighting brings dancing light and shadow. Our design achieves monumental scale, capturing the grassland culture's delicacy in refined lines.
01
THE GRASSLANDS YURT
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The Main Atrium
Beneath the Yin Mountains, by Chilechuan,
The sky like a dome covers the land.
Gentle curves echo the yurt and cloud,
Flowing shapes mirror drifting clouds.
Skylights like morin khuur hang like curtains,
Suspended arcs become bows of light,
Composing dawn and dusk indoors.
Every curved line, Pulses with life beneath the sky.
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PREFACE
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BeneaInner Mongolia's culture has evolved through history, blending tradition and modernity for creative Trade has always facilitated cultural exchange, and vibrant commerce will connect Inner Mongolia with the world. Localized business thrives by embedding cultural DNA into spaces, making them immersive and experiential. Trade has always been a vital bridge for cultural exchange, and the arrival of MIXC will undoubtedly strengthen Inner Mongolia's connection with the wider world.
200K+ Daily foot traffic
500K Over 3 days foot traffic
250K+ Memberships
Nearly 1/4 Hohhot residents visited
Full occupancy & 100% opening rate
31 brands Ranked No.1 in single-day sales nationwide
70 brands Ranked No.1 in single-day sales in Inner Mongolia
OPENING PERFORMANCE
02
CHIME WHISPERS IN THE WIND
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The Central Atrium
On Chilechuan's Plains,
Winds sing the melody,
morin khuur beats the rhythm.
Architecture and nature in duet—
Steel beams like strings,
Form a score across the dome.
Light slides like a bow,
Drawing notes upon the ground.
Hanging wind chimes,
Reeds gifted by the grasslands.
As wind fingers flip through the space,
Invisible silk hadas, Drift between the beams.
The blend of tradition and future
The central atrium connects the main atrium and west circulation, with a strong exhibition feel. It creates emotional bonds, sparks curiosity, and forms a lively commercial sub-center. Arc-shaped void echo the morin khuur, while terraced steps add dynamic beauty. The unique designed panel for the skylight is unique which not only perform as shading, but also forming a dynamic light matrix at night, striking visual effects. Materials used draw inspiration from grasslands and waved texture of the bulkhead adds detail to the space.
The pavement uses flowing textures to interpret prayer flags waving in the wind. Natural stone on the ground floor sets a solid base, echoed by artificial stone upstairs. As light shifts, the natural patterns seem like wind moving across silk—turning sacred rhythms into a tangible poem of time and space.
03
REALM OF MOLTEN FANTASY
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The Southwest Atrium
Atop the Ulanhad Volcano,
the folds of rhyolite resemble flames frozen in time,
swirling with visions of ochre and gilt.
This is the language of the earth,
where every cooled trace speaks of the land's heartbeat.
Lava cools into poetry, ash piles into paintings.
In the most primal way,
we tell the grandest epic of this land's magnificent transformation.
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The Northwest Atrium
The Southwest and Northwest Atriums act as key hubs in this project, recreating a volcanic energy field through design. Parametric-generated textures simulate the cooling patterns of lava, glowing under dynamic lighting. The geometry of volcanic eruptions is reimagined as layered, interlocking rings, transforming the energy of magma into a vibrant commercial flow.
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STARLIT NIGHT
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The West Corridor
Night falls,
stars stream through the yurt’s seams,
the sky bows low, the Milky Way grazes the grass.
Wormwood and juniper rise between bronze and leather.
Broken mirrors scatter—
now the earth holds two skies.
The prairie, a vessel,
cradles eternal starlight.
Blurring Boundaries Between Reality and Illusion
The west corridor, inspired by a "starlit night," combines mirrored stainless steel and pearlescent aluminum panels to create a flowing, galaxy-like effect. The reflective ceiling amplifies the sense of depth, while dotted lights mimic twinkling stars. Lightweight bridges enhance spacial permeability and guide people's flow, improving movement and opens up tight spaces.