Building For

the People:

Placemaking in

Mixed-Use Design

Ming Zhang, President

MulvannyG2 Architecture

Success for cities requires

looking beyond a desire for

iconic buildings.

“Design for life between

the spaces.”

- Jan Gehl

Danish architect/urban designer

Fujian Provincial Electric and Power Company

Fuzhou, China

Placemaking is the answer

Successful mixed-use developments

respond to demographics and create

a sense of place.

Bellevue Towers

Bellevue, Washington, USA

2

Create places people want

to visit again and again.

Suning Panjin

Panjin, China

Hiroshima Ballpark Town

Hiroshima, Japan

How do you create

a destination?

Bellevue Towers Bellevue, Washington, USA

Suning Wuhan

Wuhan, China

Location.

Xi’an Gaoxin Mixed-Use

Xi’an, China

Convenient and

safe experiences.

Open public space.

Zhejiang CBD Fortune Financial Center

Hangzhou, China

Suning Plaza at Beijing Chaoyang Road

Beijing, China

The best mix of uses.

Suning Shantou Plaza

Shantou, China

Balance of immediate return

and long term holdings.

Suning Shantou Plaza

Shantou, China

Retail is the key to

mixed-use success.

Respect for local

culture and history.

Xi’an God Temple

Xi’an, China

Xi’an God Temple

Xi’an, China

Cultural Relevance

Reframe how an urban space

is perceived and consumed

Interpret what it means to

create an urban space at this

moment in China

Support for economic and

business activity.

Suning Chengdu Plaza

Chengdu, China

Suning Panjin

Panjin, China

Closer

Relationship between international

architects and developers

needed

Assemble a team of experts

in the earliest phase.

Kuntai Mixed-Use

Beijing, China

Partner early to

include input on:

Selection

Negotiation

Site strategies and

urban planning

Earlier partnership creates:

Enhanced design

Better user experience

Coordinated design

and retail goals

Wuxi Chong’an Temple Towers

Wuxi, China

Smoother design review

Faster approval

Strategic marketing

Sustainable design

Suning Wuhu Plaza

Wuhu, China

Sustainability.

Olive 8

Seattle, Washington, USA

Sustainability

Long-term strategy

for civic, business

and environmental

sustainability

Relevance to

each specific location and

project

Integrated approach

at many scales

Sustainable Design Elements

Enhance the humanity

of urban life

Creates a vibrant environment

Balances urban density

Reduces heat island effect

Improves air quality

Less energy use

Higher building performance

Case Studies

Suning Panjin Plaza

Xi’an Daming Palace

Wuxi Chong’an Plaza

Suning Chengdu Plaza

Beijing Chaoyang CBD

Suning Paza

Mixed-Use Development

Panjin China

LDI Design Before

MulvannyG2 Input

Pg 29

Pg 36

Pg 51

Pg 59

Pg 59

Xi’an Daming Palace

Mixed-Use Development Xi’an, China

LDI Option

Wuxi Chong’an

Temple Towers Wuxi, China

Cities and developers looking

to make their mark must

move beyond a desire for

iconic buildings.

Suning Chengdu Plaza

Chengdu, China

Suning Chaoyang CBD

Expansion Master Plan

Beijing, China

Making a place businesses want to be

Business and civic goals, values

Cultural context

Site geography

Sustainable opportunities

Urban planning strategies

Market conditions

Memorable experiences

Architecture shapes

space and creates

unique brand or

‘essence’

Questions?