Spawton Architecture was appointed as lead designer on the architectural interior design of the retail arcade in Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu. 

The historic Daci Temple is located in the old city centre of the capital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu. First built in 618AD, the temple provides a central focus for a mixed use development which is driven by notions of heritage whilst, at the same time delivering a contemporary new lifestyle experience to the city.

The major element of the complex is a shopping and leisure component arranged over three floors. Our design relates to the public domain of the lower ground floors comprising the shopping mall arcade, the vertical circulation spaces, a series of different functional specific areas and the public facilities throughout the development.  With a floor area of around 18,000sqm, the project developed a scheme which was distinctly about its place, to find an aesthetic and an identity which was about Chinese history and landscape and ultimately particular to the temple site above.

The project themes were derived from ideas related to the subterranean world of caves and underground rivers. Combined with notions of heritage and materiality the interior design took on natural and geological shapes to form striking and sculptural compositions. A visual language was developed to give character to each of the spaces and define specific areas. Materials, textures, surface finishes and light were combined to instil drama, sophistication and authenticity. 

Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu was shortlisted in the WAN Commercial Award 2015 and three FX International Interior Design Awards 2015.

The project was the winner in the New Build and Development category of the Society of British Interior Designers (SBID) International Design Awards 2015.

The development as a whole was the recipient of the Urban Land Institute 2015 Global Award for Excellence.