Mix of the top

By Ye Jun (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-03 17:30

Sanlitun Village has opened its doors. The shopping center is designed not just for shopping, but also as a community, a place for art, culture and to spend leisure time.

Plenty of famous stores have opened here: Artini, Columbia, Lacoste, Levi's, Mizuno, Steve Madden, adidas' biggest flagship store, China's first direct-sales Apple store, Puma's biggest flagship store in Asia and Fossil. There are also quite a few children's wear and toys stores, where parents can find lovely toys and clothing for their kids.

An ice rink, chairs to rest, and art works to appreciate are just part of the design to make visitors feel comfortable. Underground there is MEGBOX film city, with eight rooms and 1,700 seats, the biggest in the area.

Currently, Hong Kong artist Dorophy Tang is exhibiting her latest series of Angel Baby sculptures, until Jan 17. Enter a "Hide and Seek Hunt" to search for hand-drawn Angel Baby sculptures to win one of your own and raise money for charity.

Plenty of restaurants and cafs have opened in the area, too, including Element Fresh, Peppes Pizza, and Starbucks Coffee. Otherwise, one might want to try Herbal cafe, or Royal Tea. There are also health and beauty stores in the area to refresh yourself after shopping.

Japanese designer Kengo Kuma has designed bold irregular geometrical shapes, and rich colors to endow personality on the 19 buildings in the shopping center. A lot of glass walls, plastic pipes, wood, stone and bamboo are also used.

The south part of the shopping area is more fashionable, colorful, and draws on inspiration from hutong. The north part's open courtyard style comes from Beijing's traditional courtyard house, and the architectural style is more metropolitan.

More stores are scheduled to open in the area, including Folli Follie, Swatch, and McDonald's and Hatsune. The shopping area is set to become another hot spot in Sanlitun.