Apede Mod, NYC designer brand, opened a pop-up store in Taikoo Li, Chengdu, designed by Say Architects as a temporary retail environment inspired by the atmosphere and cultural identity of the Chinese city.
The project interprets the relationship between New York and Chengdu through architecture, materials and artistic references, creating a contemporary retail space that combines urban influences, local culture and visual storytelling.
Urban architecture and cultural integration
Starting from urban architecture, the store was conceived to express a new design concept capable of linking the cultural languages of two very different cities.
New York is represented as a dynamic and fast-paced metropolis, while Chengdu introduces a slower and more relaxed lifestyle. Say Architects translates this contrast into a retail environment where the identity of both cities coexists within the same spatial narrative.
Pop-up store design inspired by New York brownstones
The project draws inspiration from New York brownstone townhouses and reinterprets their façade language inside the pop-up store. Architectural elements inspired by Renaissance façades are transformed into wall displays with softened and rounded geometries, responding to the more relaxed atmosphere associated with Chengdu.
Extension seating inspired by the traditional New York stoop creates areas where visitors can stop and experience the space more informally, referencing the tea culture and public parks of Chengdu.
The result is a retail environment defined by contrasts between rough urban forms and green natural references.
Materials, wall displays and green jade details
The project continues the visual language previously developed for Apede Mod while avoiding discontinuity between different brand environments.
Wall surfaces incorporate green jade details in selected areas, allowing decorative elements to become functional components of the retail design. The contrast between stone-inspired surfaces and green insertions reinforces the dialogue between Western and Eastern references.
The exposed joints between steel columns and plates remain visible, emphasizing construction details and structural rhythm throughout the space.
Artistic references and bamboo-inspired display elements
Beyond the architectural composition, the concept also references artistic influences connected to both cities.
Say Architects combines the colorful geometric language of Piet Mondrian’s early works in New York with traditional bamboo ink paintings associated with Chengdu culture. This integration generates colorful bamboo-shaped display props designed for the presentation of the bags.
The combination of exposed steel structures, green materials and artistic references creates a contemporary retail space where Western and Eastern visual rhythms coexist within the same environment.
Client: Apede Mod
Area: 83 sqm
Location: Chengdu, China
Design: Say Architects
Partner-in-charge: Zhang Yan, Shan Jianan
Project Team: Luo Xiao, Zhou Yao
Window Design: Amass Studio
Photos courtesy: HereSpace