Vanke Hefei Light of City Phase 1 is a multi-use development, comprised of a retail complex integrated with a shopping mall and office buildings. It is located northwest of Hefei City, Anhui Province, China and is surrounded by the Nanfei River to the south, Hejiu Railway to the west/north and Feixi Road to the east.

Emotional Connection Located in Hefei City in China’s Anhui Province, the site has a small river located to its south, which separates the retail development from the adjacent residential developments. Hefei’s dry climate attracts locals to the riverfront for relaxation and social interaction. Inspired by the flowing nature of the river, the design was developed to stimulate visitor experience whilst encouraging fluid movement and connectivity. User Experience The site is revitalized with green public spaces, activated retail frontages and inviting public plazas. There are also plazas for events and gatherings with interactive water jets and public art. The concept of the natural world is further evoked through plantings, lighting and water features. The landscape provides ample opportunities for people to connect in a vibrant retail environment and a sense of nature pervades the entire design. Innovation The design was developed using 3D technology to maximize the visual effect and strengthen the concept of nature. The dynamic and fluid hardscape design was realized by undertaking a series of detailed 3D studies in which the team explored cost effective and innovative solutions to achieve the desired effect. After a considerable amount of tests and studies, our solution was to simply utilize three tones and three sizes in the design and develop it to create a large scale optical illusion - in which the square became a curve.

Since its public opening of Phase 1 in May 2016, the project has attracted much attention for its unique design. ASPECT Studios utilized the popular social media platform Wechat to officially announce its opening, which was successfully shared by many Wechat users. A number of other Wechat official public accounts also published this project, pulling in thousands of views. The project was published in World Landscape Architecture and Gooood.hk, two well-known online landscape architecture journals and was listed in the Top 6 Views in 2016 and the Most Popular Landscape in July 2016. It was also the recipient of the Honorable Award,2016 READ Star Design & Real Estate Design Award and the Gold Prize (Real Estate Landscape Category) for the 7thYuan Ye Award.

Large urban retail developments can often feel like concrete jungles, but this demonstrates how well-considered urban landscapes can not only respect a site’s surrounding green assets but also enhance the way people interact with both nature and urban environments. The Light of the City Phase 1 provides many opportunities for the community to come together for a variety of experiences in a green urban retail development. It’s a vibrant and inviting retail hub designed to be people centric.

It was the project’s aspiration to create an authentic and innovative place that attends to the variety of user needs of from various demographics. Currently, phase one is open to the public. The design team took several site visits and were excited to see the design outcome and functionality is meeting the users’ needs. They saw people of different demographic coming together and utilizing the spaces for their own leisure and entertainment. The place is active with furniture, public art and lighting that highlight the site’s character. The project is an exemplar of a strong design vision to create a memorable place for the people in Hefei City.