Wanda Commercial Planning and Research Institute Teams with Architecture and Culture Society of China to Lead the Future of Shopping Center Design with Competition

BEIJING, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The second "International Shopping Plaza Concept Competition" co-hosted by Architecture and Culture Society of China and Wanda Commercial Planning and Research Institute, is now officially launched and will run until October 9, 2017.

With the theme of "Commerce Changes Life", the competition - the first ever co-hosted by a property development company and an architecture association - seeks to explore how shopping centers can become a more experiential space by implementing pioneering design theory in the real world. Stressing innovation, humanistic care and an ecosystem-driven approach to physical design, the competition is looking for exciting new ideas for the future of shopping centers within the changing landscape of urban development in China.

The integration of consumption with technology, culture and the arts is key to address the core components of changing lifestyle and behavioral patterns regarding today's consumer. While shopping is an important part of visiting a shopping center, the experience should be about more than just the purchase of goods and services. It should be about atmosphere and entertainment and culture and so much more.

Property design is a core aspect of Dalian Wanda's new and streamlined asset-light strategy with the company eschewing asset ownership for a more expertise-based mode of branding, management and design. This will allow the company to leverage its considerable competencies in construction and property management and lead the way forward for the sustainable development of China's cities.

Open to global applicants, competition designs must adhere to a series of guidelines provided meanwhile they are afforded considerable freedom for inspiration. The main essential elements are that the design assimilate seamlessly with the surrounding local culture and environment, and sit on a land area of 60,000 square meters. The design must also have an above ground commercial building area of 100,000 square meters on the ground, a below ground commercial building area of 10,000 square meters underground, and the ability to house both a cinema and a supermarket.

The competition will be judged by a jury of renowned architects, planners, and construction experts from China and around the world. The jury is to be chaired by Daniel Libeskind, founder and chief principal architect at the Daniel Libeskind. His studio has won the bid to design and oversee the rebuilding of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It is also internationally recognized for critically-acclaimed projects including Westside Shopping and Leisure Centre (Switzerland), Bundeswehr Military History Museum (Germany) etc.

Other jury members include: Astrid Piber, partner and senior architect at UNStudio; Norm Garden, executive vice president at CallisonRTKL; Simon Bee, managing director at Benoy; Wang Jiangguo, the member of China Engineering Academy; Lai Jianyan, Senior Vice President of Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties Co. Ltd and Dean of Wanda Commercial Planning and Research Institute chief architect at Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties; and Wang Zhibin, Vice President of Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties Co. Ltd.

Competition winners will earn the chance to work on Wanda's real projects, as well as the opportunity to work closely with Dalian Wanda in the future. There are 10 prizes in all, divided into two categories. Five winners will be awarded an Excellence Award with a prize of RMB 100,000 each, while a further five will be awarded an Innovation Award, with a prize of RMB 50,000 each.

Competition guidelines can be found at Commerce Changes Life -- International Shopping Plaza Concept Competition