TOMO DESIGN merges art, culture + new-age tech to create futuristic retail hub in china

‘sunac – beyond mansion’ is an avant-garde retail hub in tianjin

completed by TOMO DESIGN studio, the ‘sunac – beyond mansion’ center in tianjin, china, comes together as an avant-garde hub from the near future. in light of the social media era and new retail movement, the project breaks the conventional image of property sales centers by blending together artistic flair, digital media, algorithms, and commercial function. this intricate weaving of cultural and technological layers produces a futuristic space –  with clean silver hues – that constantly morphs, curves, and stretches itself to accommodate multiple spatial experiences: gathering, education, exhibition, socializing, and so on.  

all images © tenvisions.studio

merging art, culture, digital media, and algorithmic trends 

the team at TOMO design introduced digital media as a fundamental component of the ‘sunac- beyond mansion’ project. a large LED screen first welcomes visitors inside, displaying the image of decomposed/recombined pixels that make it seem as though the digital board is malfunctioning. moreover, the center holds a bespoke linear floor-lamp structure with an automated program that controls light variations across the different rooms. a multifunctional gallery, finally, floats at the center of the entrance space and displays an array of digital content, including TED talks, live art streaming and talk shows.

as a nod to the algorithmic and machine learning age, a combination of dark paints, metal shelfs, floating electronic screens and automated robot arms present sceneries that blend together future and present, illusion and reality.  a robotic art installation, for example, sits next to a bold-colored staircase – articulating a surreal, post-human ambience. complementing the installation is the cultural & creative laboratory that explores the conceptual boundary between commerce, technology and art. it also doubles as a negotiation and gift customization area, ‘turning the space into an artistic lifestyle destination full of improvised surprises and attitude,’ explains TOMO DESIGN. 

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project info:

name: sunac – beyond mansion 

location: tianjin, china
area: 2,000sqm
year: 2021
client: sunac
studio: TOMO DESIGN
interior design: uno chan, fei xiao
cooperative design: PSYUN, kris yang, jason luo
decoration design: tin, ching ho, maple zhang
photography: tenvisions.studio
technical support: g.art lighting design
main materials: bulameidi – aluminium plate, huahuicheng – fire-proof plate, printed fabric, tat ming wallpaper, marble 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom