Text description provided by the architects
Half a century ago Shenzhen was a small county town; today it is one of the largest, most developed cities in southeast China. Continuous urbanization and rapid growth produce busy construction sites as the symbol of the city, scattered with equipment, components, stacked materials and exposed building systems, which are also temporary art installations saluting the frank, raw and vital urban machine. HARMAY's Shenzhen store sits within a newly developed commercial district of this machine, a long space connecting outdoor public area and interior retail in a natural linear organization. The dramatic depth enhances attraction, drawing visitors deeper. The spatial language comes from Shenzhen's striving urban spirit. While many brand stores pursue a perfect image, HARMAY Shenzhen embraces the tension of the in-progress state, following warehouse-culture design while redefining a real urban spectacle. AIM uses a complex pipe system as the core spatial element, strengthening its connective role like capillaries beneath the smooth skin of a giant structure, producing an unfinished, energetic retail environment.