Beijing Vanke Times Center

Vanke Times Center sits in Shilibao, Chaoyang, Beijing, a creative new urban complex blending boutique retail, cultural office, large art installations, multi-functional exhibition space and a meditation bamboo garden. As one of China's largest developers, Vanke commissioned Danish firm SHL to carry out its first urban renewal project, transforming an old shopping mall into a vibrant city center. The renewed Times Center is a new urban landmark integrating retail, office, green space and events. Vanke's design partner noted the project marks a strategic bet in urban renewal, and that SHL's diverse, creative practice matches Vanke's values. A sun-filled creative complex, the original building consisted of four blocks; the renovation opens them to daylight, adds a public roof and reconnects the street, producing a lively, art-driven civic destination with a planted plaza that draws pedestrians into the block. The renewed center has revived the street frontage and become a popular gathering place, proving that a defunct mall can be reborn as a shared urban room.